Never Alone
by Zaru
Summary: AU. Even the best laid plans of mice and men can go awry. Namikaze Naruto is raised in a different land and Uchiha Sasuke meets a new friend that will change his life. Will these two souls become comrades or bitter foes in the end? Beta'ed by LD 1449, author of Lost Souls. Kumo-Naruto GoodSasuke fic.
1. The Aftermath of the Beginning

_Konohagakure no Sato. October 11._

Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a breath, smoke billowing out of his dried lips. He felt the weight of the hat atop his head more acutely than ever, to the point where he found the need to remove it entirely, placing it on the desk, the fire logo, placed to face away from himself as he sighed.

He had not planned to return, it'd barely been a year since he retired his post, entrusting it to another. And he had been more than content with such. Whatever higher powers that be may have cursed his existence or maybe Konohagakure no Sato in general; all things considered.

To think that just yesterday, the village was almost destroyed and hundreds of shinobi and even more civilians were slayed by what could only be described as a living, natural disaster.

The dead were still being tallied, the injured, in the thousands easily.

This _thing_ had many names, but it was better known as the Kyubi no Yoko, "The Greatest of the nine" It'd been called.

He would not dispute the reputation.

'_What went wrong_?' thought the old man as he leaned back in his chair and surveyed the village from the open balcony just a few feet away. The business districts were spared, but the residential area suffered, hence the staggering civilian causalities, even now nearly a thousand, or more were missing under the wreckage and debris the demon's rampage caused.

He remembered Minato, and now the late Hokage, and his expected wife, Kushina, had been assuring him that they were able to obtain the best seal masters in all Fire Country in order to prevent the fox from breaking out. Minato was one of those seal masters himself, having taken his first teachings from Jiraiya, and surpassing him years ago with innovations and methods that were still having an impact on how fire country made its most basic of seals.

This shouldn't have happened. It never should have happened.

But then again, there were the warning signs.

During Kushina's pregnancy, the fox was disturbingly quiet, his chakra receding from her coils and her increasing fatigue. Part of him had chalked it up to the pregnancy but they'd taken precautions, even deigning to call in some other Fuinjutsu specialists from across their territory. But even the best laid plans of men tend to go wrong, and the last 48 hours had proven that old phrase beyond the shadow of a doubt in his mind.

So many many dead. People he'd known for years. People who should have seen him die, not the other way around.

Minato and Kushina had been among them.

It had been a moment of desperation and impulsiveness that had carried him back to office. Screaming elders and councilmen clamoring for someone to lead them before Minato's body was even cold.

He didn't blame them.

Konoha had many enemies, all of which would be more than happy to deliver the hammer's blow on the cracking anvil.

He'd been placed here to keep them at bay, despite his weariness, and his withered body he was still known far and wide as the God of Shinobi, and even if his martial might may be diminished, his mind was still as sharp as ever, maybe even sharper, honed to a fine edge with the experience of age.

He held secrets that could still destroy men. And that, more than anything else, would probably be what kept the wolves at bay.

But still...so many many dead.

But...there is always hope. And one person in the weary Sarutobi's mind was shouldering the burden of the Kage's hopes more than most tonight. The one to survive the tragedy amongst the fox's wrath was none other than a newborn babe, and the Hokage knew who that child was, just by looking at him. He turned towards the crib nearby his desk, the sleeping babe within it. .

Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, the third jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Yoko and the son of Namikaze Minato.

The signs of him being the jinchuriki were obvious thanks to the whiskers on his cheeks and the seal of the most powerful ninja in fire country emblazoned in faintly glowing runes atop his navel. The Shiki Fuuin.

Sarutobi was unsure whether to be proud or disappointed, for it spoke of how Minato would have treated his son in the future if a tragedy like this occurred later rather than when it had. If his son was in a crisis and if there was a choice of either village or family, he would always chose village. Hiruzen couldn't imagine how Kushina, who detested being the Kyubi's jailor herself to begin with, would have reacted with Minato choosing to seal the beast in his own _son_ rather than back into her or maybe another object, or even a stranger. The woman loved Minato a great deal, but he would not have been surprised he wouldn't have been surprised if she divorced him if such an event did occur.

The Hokage checked some papers; one thing he dreaded upon returning to the job was the paperwork.

Oh the paperwork. He was sure that he be rid of it forever, and now…

He let out a sigh. This for the good of the village, after all. Just he was about to get started, he heard a knock on his door. Only person would be so nonchalant as to knock on a Kage's door.

"Come in," and the door opened up, revealing his old student, and the only one who is in contact with him.

"Hey..." His voice was dejected, sad, but still holding back. "I came as fast as I could…" He stepped into the office and the Sandaime noticed him holding an odd cylindrical object and... He wasn't alone for that matter either…

"Kakashi. May I ask what you are doing here?" asked Hiruzen. The young Hatake stood behind Jiraiya, hands in pockets as usual, and his face showing nothing but silent sorrow.

"Jiraiya-sama asked me to come along, Hokage-sama," responded Kakashi "It has to do with…sensei." All of the room's occupants fell silent in remorse.

"Well, it has to be important." Hiruzen finally said. "Speak it then. There is much to do yet."

"His will," mentioned Jiraiya as he placed the object on the desk. It was the size of a soda can, yet it had a paper around it with a kanji _seal_ and other symbols wrapped around it.

"He had his will stored within a cryptex I see. As expected," mused Hiruzen.

"I recognized some of the markings, turns out this do-hickey here and only be opened by those the deceased trusted in life. In other words, us," said the sage. The Hokage held the cryptex up. Nodding, he took a knife opener and made a little cut on his finger. He then proceeded to smear a smidge of blood on the seal. He turned towards Kakashi.

"Close the door and tell no one to come inside," he ordered. The boy nodded going out of the room to tell the secretary to go on a break and closing the door. Jiraiya then placed a few tags along the walls of the room and the windows.

"Sound proof. This info doesn't escape this room," said the sannin. Hiruzen nodded and he perked as he heard a click. As the cryptex geared and churned, Jiraiya and Kakashi walked up to the crib and inspected its charge.

"He looks just like sensei…" whispered Kakashi.

"No kidding about that," agreed Jiraiya. He amazed about how the child looked just like how he pictured the main character of his book series to look like! Maybe it was Minato's influence. He did inspire the character design after all.

Hiruzen gave a small cough, gaining his student and the Hatake's attention. The cryptex has opened and within it was a small scroll. He held it up in order to read it out loud.

"_Dear Sarutobi, Kakashi, or Sensei,_

_If any of you are reading this will, then it means I have been killed before the conception of my child. A shame really, but such is the life of a shinobi, even if you are a Kage._

_-To Sarutobi, you're probably one of the best Kage's out there staying in office as long as you have. Too bad I didn't match your record, hehe._

_Continuing, I am sure some of you are confused as to why Kushina isn't the ones selected to open the cryptex. Well, let's just say that I and she got into a few big fights…_

"Whoa hold on," interrupted Jiraiya. "Minato and Kushina were fighting? They seemed to be getting along just fine!"

"You of all people should know how women are Jiraiya-sama," mentioned Kakashi.

"But still! They looked like they were on Cloud Nine whenever I stopped by!"

"If we continued, I'm sure Minato may be able to give us a valid reason why," said Hiruzen. The two remained silent and the Hokage continued.

"_Now I suppose this was to be expected, but the reason for our fights was a few reasons:_

_Kumo has begun negotiations with Konoha and I was more than happy to hear what they have to say for the sake of stability and cooperation between the two villages. But then again, Kushina was nearly kidnapped by them, and wanted nothing more than to isolate them and I can't really fault her for that. She was defiantly not happy when we had ambassadors meet up in Hotsprings country. I have my duties as a leader and peace between villages has a higher priority than a personal grudge._

_Due to my job as Hokage, I've been spending more time at work than at home. Kushina is starting to feel that she's being ignored. I quote, "You love the village more than you love me!" As much as I love her, I have a duty she doesn't understand. Hopefully she may if she is present in this will reading._

_She doesn't like that I hang out with you Jiraiya, after reading your pilot for your next series. I must admit that it's a bit bland and here's a suggestion: have the protagonists get girls of all sizes. Flat as board to as a big as Tsunade. Hell maybe bigger because why not? Add in variety and maybe have some girls with nice asses, whether sculpted or as big as the Monument. You wanna appeal to all men(or women) with varied tastes, and it will sell. Maybe go for monster girls too. You never know…"_

Jiraiya started grinning from ear to ear, though it was more nostalgic than his normal smiles when venturing into these topics. Kakashi's eye went up.

"Never knew he was into stuff like that," mentioned the gray haired ninja.

"That's my pupil," the sannin wiped his eyes to dry up any tears forming. Hiruzen smiled and continued.

"Moving on. _Now, if I were to die before my child's birth, I leave my estate and all pertaining to it to my wife, Uzumaki Kushina and her child._

_However, as Kushina is the wife of a Kage, her having enemies is reasonable. In addition, I think that the fox is up to something. He's been far too quiet and I think he's gathering strength for the due date. So in the event if not only I were to become deceased, but also my wife as well after my child's conception, here are my terms:_

_My child is to be taken to the residence of my longtime teammate and friend, Kazama Arashi, and placed under his care. Arashi has been married longer than I have and is probably a better father than I ever would be, what with not being bogged down by the Kage hat. "_

"He isn't giving Naruto to me?" pondered Jiraiya.

"I'm getting to that," said Sarutobi. "_Sorry Jiraiya, but Kushina detested the idea of a child being raised by you, so I am at least fulfilling one of my wife's wishes, no offense sensei."_

Jiraiya gave out a sigh. Kushina, despite being a tomboy, was one hell of a human buzz-killer. "None taken…" he responded, as if speaking to Minato.

"_However, I wish for my son to embrace the Will of Fire, as you all have experienced, so I am placing my child under Jiraiya's care at the age of 11 and my child is be moved to Konoha. If you could give this will to Arashi, sensei, I'm sure he would understand. Knowing him and that Inazuma Mari, they maybe baking babies like Chouza's wife bakes meatbuns. And if he wishes to become a shinobi and inherit my estate, then so be it. Until then, I will lend my estate to my sole pupil, Hatake Kakashi, and all jutsu pertaining within the estate with the exception of the Hiraishin and the Shiki Fujin. However, upon my child's return, he may receive the estate and will live with Kakashi as a fellow tenant. There's a lot of room after all, and I'm sure you'll get along just fine._

_In closing, I hope for Kushina and/or my child to have a future in which they will live happily. I am sorry if I made any mistakes and wasn't the husband you dreamed of having, but I did the best that I could with the circumstances Kushina._

_And to my child, whatever path you take in life, always know that these four men: Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hatake Kakashi, The Gallant Frog Sage Jiraiya-sama, and Kazama Arashi and his wife, will become your guardian angels. And embrace the Will of Fire, for it will be your light whenever you are in your darkest hour._

_I love you both with all my heart._

_Namikaze Minato, written June 28."_

Sarutobi took a deep breath as the room's occupants absorbed the information within the will.

"So….when do you want me to take him?" The Hokage perked up towards Jiraiya as he looked down at the sleeping child. He was quite a heavy sleeper…

"What do you mean? We have no clue where Arashi is."

"I know where he is. Arashi kept in touch with me after he retired from shinobi service to devote to family life. If you could give me Naruto, I could get him to Arashi within the week." Sarutobi nodded as he took this information.

Maybe this was for the best. After all, Naruto was the son of the Yondaime of all things, so he's an instant enemy in the eyes of Iwa. Despite Kushina and Uchiha Mikoto having a good relationship, her husband Fugaku, another Yondaime candidate, treated Minato with disdain, mainly due to losing to a "commoner" of all things.

And then there's the possibility of the rogue Snake Sannin Orochimaru and the Director of Root: Shimura Danzo may catch wind of Naruto being a jinchuriki and will stop at nothing to use the boy for their own ends.

And that would not be allowed.

"Jiraiya," the sage perked up and looked towards his sensei as he wrapped the sleeping baby in a blanket. How Naruto was still asleep was anyone's guess.

"Yeah?"

"No one must catch wind of this... What has occurred in this room, _stays_ in this room. This is an S-class secret that we must protect, even if we must give our lives. Understand?" Kakashi nodded. And Hiruzen handed the babe towards the white haired man.

"I'll protect this knowledge to my dying breath Hokage-sama," responded the cycloptic boy. Jiraiya then proceeded towards the door, baby covered in blankets, and _still_ asleep.

"_Must have taken Kushina's sleep tendencies. The woman slept like a log from what I heard from Minato,"_ thought the sannin.

"Well, I best be off. I'll report back to you once I drop off Naruto. And Sensei, how are you going to persuade your teammates and that ole war hawk. They knew Kushina was pregnant and will want answers," said Jiraiya. Sarutobi closed his eyes in thought.

"Come now Jiraiya, the Kyubi's passing has left much devastation and confusion in its wake. I'm sure however, after some searching in the damaged districts Kakashi can return to me with Naruto's remains" The young Jounin nodded, easily catching the hint.

"Danzo may not be happy if you give them that."

"He may not like it, but you just leave him to me. After all...how will he prove his suspicions? And even if he could, Root is disbanded. What evidence could he have gathered...properly?"

Jiraiya couldn't help but crack a smile. Sarutobi wasn't missing a beat.

"You should leave now Jiraiya, the confusion of the attack will give you your best chance. Kakashi, you have your orders as well." Both men and nodded and took off the soundproof seals along the walls. Jiraiya grabbed the small scroll that was Minato's will and stuffed it in his pocketed and walked out the room, Kakashi in tow.

Sarutobi gave a deep drag of his pipe. Did he do the right thing? Giving Naruto to Minato's teammate, who is outside of Konoha and away from the Hokage's protection? But then again, knowing Jiraiya, he'll visit Naruto and Arashi on occasion to check up on him, and report back to the Hokage. The only problem would be Danzo.

Danzo would always be the problem.

He looked down, and the paperwork was still there, incomplete and blank. As if mocking him.

An even bigger problem.

Oh how he wanted someone to drive a nail into his head.

_3 days later. On the border between Hotspring's Country and Frost Country._

Jiraiya landed on the ground and wiped the sweat off his head. The land that was the border between Hotsprings and Frost was cold for most of the year, but never snowing. Just cold and it will switch between humid and dry on the seasons.

He saw a simple town before him, and within it his goal. He looked down at the baby in the sling in which carried. The sling had a few seals on it in order to give Naruto warmth and not shiver in the cold but it'd be best to get him into the house.

Naruto was quite a screamer too when he was awake and Jiraiya had to slow down when tree-jumping in order to lull him back to sleep. The sage would have made the trip in a single day, but he doubted his ears could handle all of the crying.

And then there was the diaper maintenance, and the feeding…Jiraiya felt some sort relief that a professional is taking him off his hands and that he was asleep, for now at least.

He walked into town, and he could see the few people in the commerce going about their buisness, their breaths visible in the chilly air. Using his memory, the sage wandered about until he found a three story apartment building.

"This is it," he said to himself and walked inside. Ignoring the stairs, he continued on the first floor until he found the room he was looking for. He knocked a few times.

"Who is it?" asked a male voice from within, Jiraiya let out a deep breath and smiled.

"Who am I? That is the question one who has been hiding a rock for many moons would know, but a good question nonetheless! Who is the man in which ladies far and wide woo and dream of? Who is the man in which men of all corners of the world look up to in awe and envy? Now unclog those ears! Open up your eyes and take a good long look!"

He got onto a pose and on one leg and started to hop, his clogs clacking the ground.

"Now behold! The Divine and Gallant Ninja Jiraiya-sama! That is who I am, Kazama Arashi!" he bellowed with a boon, swirling his head in the process. The door swung wide open, and Jiraiya beamed.

Standing at the door was a man nearing thirty, with shoulder length long black hair and steel blue eyes. He was dressed in normal attire, but the sage knew he had practiced somewhat in his shinobi skills since retiring two years ago. The man, known as Arashi gasped with surprise and awe.

"Sensei! What a surprise!" he said.

"Honey? Who was that speaking? Karui-chan woke up, he's a bit loud," said a female voice from within the apartment. Arashi turned towards the voice.

"It's my old sensei Mari-chan!" He turned towards Jiraiya, "please come in!"

"Thanks." Jiraiya beamed again. "You don't know how good it feels to just have one of my old students open up the door and be happy to let me in."

"No, I mean come in, it's freezing and we're losing heat. Costs money you know. Can't talk like this outside."

Jiraiya glared. "Can't you show at least some compassion for your sensei? What turned you into a penny pincher?"

"The fact that we are near the border of Frost Country and our heating bill is high enough as it is, that's why." The sage shrugged in understanding, stepping inside.

"You haven't changed a bit, and there's something I wish to tell you and your wife about..."


	2. By the Lake Shore

**I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.**

**Sucks to hear about the earthquake though. My prayers goes to the Japanese.**

_6 years later. Konohagakure no Sato._

Tamahagane Tenten was a girl who liked to keep herself busy. Whether it be walking around the village or practicing her ninja weapons, she needed something to do as she kept on throwing dull Kunai at the makeshift targets on the trees.

The girl was of the age of 7, wore a simple overly large pink shirt that reached her knees with a pair of gray pants and sandals. She had brown hair done in two neat buns and had chocolate eyes. In the eyes of an average villager, she was, for lack of a better word, ordinary.

But there was a reason she wanted to keep herself from becoming bored. She didn't like being bored. It made her think too much. I f she had time to herself then she would start wondering, start looking. And she'd find kids with their mommies and daddies all around her. She didn't like how watching them always made her feel. Sad...but also something else, something...icky in her stomach.

Her daddy had been killed.

He had been a skilled swordsman, though retired by the time that stupid Demon Fox had attacked the village when she very little. She had pictures, but what she tried the hardest to picture was his voice. She would do anything to hear her daddy's voice. Just once if she could.

And mommy...mommy wasn't with her anymore...

Thankfully, the Sandaime Hokage had placed some of the village's budget into the orphanage in order to give the parentless children a better life. She didn't know, of course. At the age of six she was just happy whenever Madam Yumichiko called her and others like her to receive their stipend, no matter where it came from.

The sum helped, somewhat. In addition, orphans were guaranteed admission into the Shinobi Academy. And that was where Tenten would be going just next year.

Because she had a dream.

To become the strongest female ninja since Senju Tsunade, a ninja who would become Hokage.

The bun-haired girl let a smile grace her face as she thought of it. Her, an orphan, becoming a Kage of a village. No fancy family, no stuffy advisors. She'd get there on her own with smarts, determination, and skill.

She reached for another blunt Kunai and threw, her arms aching. It struck, close to the bullseye of the front target. Then again, that same target had two Kunai in it already.

Tenten paused, breathing in and out to soothe her aching muscles.

The seven targets that were in the trees, the three targets on several trash cans, and the target over the heart of an old scarecrow all had Kunai and shuriken embedded on them. Some were on the ground, but about ninety percent of the weapons were either on the bullseye, or very close due to the bullseye already being occupied. Tenten frowned as she inspected the weapons on the ground. Her focus wasn't as good as some days, but it was enough. Practice makes perfect afterall.

"Time to pack up. Can't miss dinner," she said out loud as she started to pick up the weapons. She'd found them in an old storage box. And she intended her throwing weapon score to be second to none when she got to the academy. The bun-haired girl wouldn't be surprised if she would gain a fanclub by her second, or at the latest third year.

She placed all of the weapons into her bag and set off for home, heading through the trees and up the hill onto a path. The sun was beginning to set, dying the sky an orange hue. She hummed as she began to walk down the road to the orphanage and on her favorite route. A road that overlooked a small lake within Konoha.

As she strolled, she saw a couple walking hand in hand with their small daughter in between them, smiling and laughing. There was that feeling again. That terrible _thing _that twisted her insides.

Her daddy died a hero getting weapons to the shinobi fighting the Kyubi no Yoko.

Mommy...

The feeling grew.

True, there were some orphans who lost their parents in the attack, but they were all older than her. Over time she had been left to own devices as they were picked up by grieving childless parents and relatives. She wasn't picked yet, so why? Was it her hair? Her aspiration to be a great shinobi?

She turned towards the glare emitting from the lake, but she took a closer look.

Sitting on the small dock on the lake was a figure, just staring at the lake, shoulders slumped, brooding.

Tenten had been in such a situation before. She used to brood on that same dock a year prior. It was only after being inspired by the great Sannin Tsunade that Tenten had quit her brooding and her drive to become a great shinobi. She knew that feeling.

She knew curfew was in a few hours, but…

"Ohhh..." murmured the girl to herself, half in trepidation at the chastizing she would get from headmistress Yumichiko, and half in frustration at the stupid child for making her want to help.

As she walked down the steps and onto the dock. The figure, seen as a boy upon closer inspection, had black hair and was about a year or so younger than her. She stood by him and opened her mouth to speak, only to get tongue-tied. This lead to an awkward silence as they both looked down at their reflections in the water.

"What do you want?" said the boy, breaking the silence. Tenten gave a mental sigh of relief that he had spoken first.

"Well…I just came by to hang out at my favorite spot is all. Am I intruding?" The boy shook his head, and the girl sat down by him. She turned to face him and her eyes went up.

She didnt know him. He looked younger than her, and could not be in the academy yet. But there was something familiar...

She looked a little closer, and then, clear as day she found her eyes going down towards the overly large shirt that was on the boardwalks's floor.

The Uchiha family crest.

It didn't take her long to recognize just who this was after that.

Uchiha Sasuke.

The look on his face showed nothing but bitterness and sadness. Any happiness and innocence that a child his age would have was long gone, thanks to the efforts of his deranged brother, Uchiha Itachi.

"It must be painful…isn't it?" murmured Tenten, hugging her knees through her incredibly baggy shirt. Sasuke didn't turn his head.

"What do you know?" Tenten shook her head.

"I know..." she replied softly. The memories were returning, and Tenten could feel tears pricking at her eyes. And the Uchiha found himself face to face with the bane of most of the male gender.

A female crying.

"Hey! Hey! Sto- stop that right now!" Sasuke spluttered, desperation replacing his despondency as the tears escalated to sniffles, the sniffles to sobs, and the finger rubbing over one eye turned to both hands hiding her face.

Eventually, unable to stand her weeping, the awkward child pulled her over to one of the nearby benches. He sat her down and stood in front of her, hands in his pockets as he looked around for someone to come and rescue him. No one came.

Mercifully Tenten began to settle down, rubbing her hand angrily over her puffy eyes. Strong Kunoichi were not supposed to cry. As her crying faded. Sasuke soon found the courage to speak.

"So...what's your name again?"

"Tamahagane Tenten. What's yours?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Another silence plagued them again, the only sounds being Tenten sniffling up and clearing her nose.

"Before," Sasuke spoke, breaking the silence again, "you said you knew what I've been through...what do you mean?" He then thought better of it, fearing more waterworks. "But if...if it's just gonna make you cry again then forget about it."

"Yeah...Strong Kunoichi don't cry" replied the bun-haired girl, angrily wiping the tears from her eyes. "Its just that..." Her cheeks suddenly puffed up, as though she were filled with some righteous indignation. "Forget about it."

Sasuke's expression became displeased, a childish curiosity blinding what would have been another's note to back away from a volatile topic.

"Tell me!" He demanded.

"No!" was her simple response. The two glared at each other, and Sasuke noticed the rather heavy bag at the girl's side.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing at the heavy thing that looked as big as either one of their torsos.

"Oh this?" she opened up her sack and showed off some Kunai and Shuriken, eagerly accepting the distraction. "They're not sharp but they're good for target practice! I plan on attending the Shinobi Academy this year!"

"You are?" She nodded, smiling.

"You gonna sign up too?" Sasuke looked away and nodded, staring into the lake. That same lake where his father taught and saw him utilize the Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu, the bread-and-butter jutsu of the Uchiha clan.

"Yeah...you can say that. Afterall, what else is there to do?" The girl chuckled.

"Yeah I guess. I plan on being the best ninja ever!" exclaimed Tenten with pride.

"You're a girl."

And out the window flew the amicable mood.

Tenten stood up, hands on her hips as she glared at the Uchiha, all fury and righteous female indignation.

"So what! Senju Tsunade is the best medic ninja in the world! And the strongest ninja in the world too!"

At his age, Sasuke had no real idea who the hell Tsunade was. And even if he would have known, it didn't matter.

"She is not!"

"She is too!"

"She is not!"

"She is too!"

Now they were close to butting heads.

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!

"Too!

* * *

Ahh, the simplicity of youth.

Sandaime watched and smiled from his office, hands ghosting over his crystal ball as he watched the two bicker. He feared that the scars left by Itachi may have left the boy in great psychological peril. But seeing him there, he took some confidence that maybe, just maybe, things would work out.

A knock on his door broke his train of thought. He looked at his calendar. Today was that day…

"Come in Jiraiya," beckoned the Sandaime, and the Sannin entered, cheeky grin on his face and all.

"Yo Sensei, where's Kakashi? I thought he'd be here."

"Hatake is out on a mission at the moment. I trust you are well?" At that moment, Jiraiya closed the door and began to walk around the room installing the sound proof seals.

"Yep never better! _Icha Icha Paradise_ is selling okay for the moment, but man! _Icha Icha Foreign Land, Icha Icha Dreamland, Icha Icha Fantasy, _and_ Icha Icha Nightmare _are selling like hotcakes! Minato was right! Appealing to some fetishes sells big! The amount of non-poisonous fanmail I get is staggering!" He finished installing the last seal and sat down in front of Sarutobi.

"That's all fine and dandy," he said dryly taking a drag from his pipe. "But how is he? It has been a month after all."

Sitting down the toad sannin thought for a moment before chuckling. Well, Arashi is a taskmaster, but he's a good dad through and through. He has character, prides himself on hard work and all that jazz, tries to instill that into Naruto."

Sarutobi smiled. "He sounds like he's doing well then."

"He is." Jiraiya admired with a smirk. "From what I've seen though, the only thing he lacks is showing affection every now and again. I mean, you can see that he cares for the boy, he's just got trouble saying as much to the kids face. T hat and he thinks it may be take to spoiling the boy if he starts."

Jiraiya saw that that particular titbit of information didn't sit too well with Sarutobi, so he was quick to move on to easier subjects. "Karui acts like how any older sister would to a younger brother." Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.

"Is that good or bad?" Elder sisters were completely relevant sometimes. Jiraiya's laughter put him a bit more at ease.

"Well she's bossy, and isn't afraid to clock Naruto a good one when he gets too rowdy with some other boys. Then she's not afraid to turn right around and start kicking their asses for hurting her little brother. You have no idea how much I laughed when _Naruto_ needed to be the voice of reason to help hold her back. Helped me in _Dreamland_ when this one kid had a thing for his hot older sister who was also a dominatrix and…"

"What else Jiraiya…" the Hokage interjected sternly. He would read those books on his own time but this was a serious matter. It was about Minato's legacy after all.

"Well Mari-chan is still lovely since I met her 6 years ago, and she's a great mother and cook as always. No prizes for guessing where the kid's obsession for noodles comes from. She makes a mean Udon dish like you wouldn't believe."

"And what about Naruto Jiraiya? How does he feel about his family?" the Sandaime pressed, deciding to get to the crux of the matter. Jiraiya shrugged.

"Well...err...he's actually normal from what I can see. He bitches, and moans with some things, loves them to bits at the next moments. To be perfectly honest. It's actually a very healthy family environment from what I can see." Sarutobi sighed with some relief. He hadn't heard from Jiraiya in some time, hearing that Naruto was doing well was a relief.

"Anyways, what is the other matter you wished to speak to me about Jiraiya? Your message was rather vague." Sarutobi's face got serious, deciding to change the subject as did his pupil.

"Orochimaru seems to have joined with some guys called _Akatsuki_. Not much is known about them, only that they are mercs. That's it, for now at least."

"He wouldn't join a group for money. Only to obtain powerful jutsu and continue his experiments."

"Maybe the group lets him do it freely. My network is still working on it. I can't deliver overnight you know. Also, I heard about another shot down settlement huh?" Sarutobi let a sigh escape his dried lips.

"Yes. Kumo is still rather sore that they were accused of stealing the Byakugan. Turns out it was a separatist faction within Kumo that wanted to collect bloodlines. We accused the wrong group and we lost a good jounin in Hyuga Hizashi…"

"Yeah, that Yondaime, Kiraei, can hold a grudge can't he."

"That's the understatement of the year. Even I wanted to delve deeper in this affair, while Homura and Koharu and the other elders went off their rockers and pointed fingers."

"But hey, most of them haven't been in active shinobi service for the last seven years. You look at the big picture, whilst they only look for their own and whatnot."

"Indeed. I believe that's all Jiraiya?" The Toad Sage stood up and began to collect the seals from across the room.

"Yep. I'll stick around in Konoha for a day or two, doing my thing, before heading out. Pass it on to Hatake when you get the chance."

"I will." And Jiraiya left the chamber, winking at the secretary as he did so. Sarutobi let smoke blow from his mouth.

With Sasuke's new friend and Naruto enjoying his youth, he can see a bright future for Konoha down the road, once Naruto returns to the village as per Minato's will.

What he nor the Toad Sage couldn't see was a man standing outside the Hokage Tower seeing Jiraiya leave, and fading back into the shadows…

* * *

_Unknown Location. Konohagakure no Sato._

A shinobi Shunshin'd onto the floor, kneeling. Sitting at his desk, like on his own throne, was a man old but as sharp as a spear. C unning for have living for so long and maintaining an organization long thought "disbanded".

That man was Shimura Danzo, the Director of Root.

"Report, Usagi." The ANBU shinobu, his face hidden by a rabbit mask, nodded curtly.

"Danzo-sama, your prediction has been right. According to our observations from different shinobi and other bystanders, Jiraiya of the Sannin has been visiting the Sandaime periodically in person for the last three years. Maybe more." The heavily-bandaged elder nodded.

"I see." He hummed softly to himself as he thought.

"_Given the frequent visits, whatever Jiraiya and Hiruzen are discussing, it must be important, in addition to not wanting anyone know."_

"Usagi."

"Sir."

"Pass this order to Torune. Have him use one of the Bikochu bugs we've obtained and to place one on Jiraiya. When he leaves the village, we may know what he and Hiruzen are hiding."

"Yes sir." And Usagi vanished, leaving Danzo to ponder.

.


	3. True Family

**I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Also, I forgot to mention to readers who's alerted when this first came out that this fic will be Naruto going to Kumo, as his sister was Karui. And Sasuke will be a good guy, and not going down the DARKNESS DERPITY DERP path. After all, there's no Madara to push him off of the slippery slope he's on.**

**Now on with the show then.**

_2 years later. Land of Hotsprings. Tokimine Town._

Within a dark bedroom a person stirred, underneath the blankets on his bed. The suns rays peered from the window blinds hitting a mop of sun-kissed blonde hair laying on the pillows. The figure groaned as he turned away from the light revealing his whiskered cheeks, messy blond bed hair, and groggy eyes, containing sky blue pupils. He looked up towards the light filtering in through the blinds glaring at the innanimate object for its lack of effectiveness.

"Go away sun…" he murmured as he got back under the covers. The boy heard some footsteps and he heard the door open.

The blond groaned, knowing now that his sleep was to be denied. He sat up, glaring at the figure in the door with annoyed look on his face.

Standing there arms crossed was an older girl, around 11 or so. She had dark skin and amber eyes in addition to fiery spiky red hair. She stood by the door with an amused smirk.

"Would you rather have dad tear off the sheets? Come on, rise and shine sleepy-head," playfully said the girl as she walked over to his window and opened the blinds, revealing the light of day to the boy. The boy closed his eyes of sudden influx of brightness.

"Karui what the heck…and what time is it…"

"It's only 9 am Naru-chan. You should be grateful to your big sis for letting you sleep in a half-hour," smirked Karui.

"Don't call me _chan_. I'm not a girl," Naruto narrowed his eyes at his older sister. Karui chuckled.

"Well I'm your big sis. I got powers over you you don't have." The blonde got out of bed and walked over to his closet, revealing his clothes that are hung upon hangers. He gave sigh as he started to change.

"Oh come on!" the tanned girl said, exasperated. "You cant be so tired and stuff today of all days!"

"Why? What day is it today?" Karui gave a snort.

"You mean you've forgotten?" He turned his head.

"Forgotten what?"

"Your birthday you dim-wit." Naruto's eyes went up.

"Oh man I didn't know! How come dad never reminded me!"

"Uh, anyone is supposed to know their own birthdays bro. Did you hit your head with a sack of stupid or something?" Naruto slipped onto a shirt and jeans.

"No! It's just that I've been busy doing chores ya know, and I've been helping mom at work too.!"

"You mean _we _have, I've been helping out too you know. I know how you feel." Naruto walked by Karui.

"Is the shower open?"

"I used it first. Better use it before mom wakes up."

"And dad?"

"He's up." Naruto grimaced as his sister followed him to the bathroom.

"So…"

"He knows you slept in. It's your birthday after all Naru-chan. He's being lenient for today."

"Don't call me chan. Karu-kun."

"Maybe if you stop calling me with a guys suffix I'd stop."

"You first." Karui simply stuck her tongue out, and Naruto returned it in turn. The redhead giggled and ran out of his sight and into the living room.

Naruto got into the shower in the bathroom and started to undress.

This is Kazama Naruto, age 9, citizen of Hotsprings Country and Tokimine Town. He has lived with his family for all of his life as an adopted child, and his life was, so to say, hard but well worth it, but he would never admit it out loud.

For starters, his big sister, Kazama Karui, always calls him _Naru-chan,_ and she knows it aggravates him. Then again, to pay back the favor, he calls her Karu-kun. It's more like verbal aggressive diplomacy when they hang out. They call each other by their pet names, tell the other to stop, and so on. They tend to do many things with other children their own age as well; that is, of course, if they had the time to play with other children.

His mother, Kazama-Hirano Marina. Was simply a beautiful and kind woman, looking more like a princess version of what his older sister may grow up to be. Her hair was long but tamed, her eyes and skin color the same as his sister. She was always kind and had a smile on her face. Not to mention she ran a small noodle stand and made great food! In fact, it attracted a lot of customers due to the cold weather. The steaming broth and noodles were more than appealing when the chill wind had seeped through the skin and into the marrow.

And so in order to keep up, both Naruto and Karui helped out with busing tables and delivering food. They'd both asked for their places in their business began a year or so ago, probably due to their mutual insistence. It helped bring business and save money, not having to hire an employee that would charge more than enough money to buy a candy or two every lunch hour, but work away from home left work to pile up at home.

Following up was Uncle Jiraiya, the man whom daddy would call "sensei" from time to time. He always stopped by once a month to visit, and Naruto liked the jovial old man. The white haired man even gave presents every now and then, giving Naruto what appeared to be a small book called _Icha Icha Preschool. _From what little time Naruto had read it, he knew that it was about a pre-school teacher liking a very lonely mother. He hasn't had a chance to progress beyond the part when the teacher was invited into the home of the mother. He'd gotten bored at that point, and the book now lay forgotten somewhere out of his bed. He'd thought of giving it to his dad, since he always did like to read, but then remembered how Jiraiya told him not to tell anyone. "It'll be our little secret." Said the sage with a wink. Naruto kept up on that promise.

It was a shame to the boy's eyes that uncle Jiraiya didn't come all the time, but he must have been busy.

And then came the _taskmasker, _Kazama Arashi. The day Naruto learned to walk, Arashi had him do a chore. Naturally, this brought on many complaints from the young Naruto, but Arashi merely retorted with a "You'll thank me later in life. Trust me." He does...the man is his father afterall. But he always had to do something, whether it was helping with dishes or some other task. Arashi always had Naruto do something. And the complements on his efforts were few and far between, and were usually followed by a "Okay, here's what's next" or "Double check to see if you cleaned up right."

At his young age, Naruto doesn't know what a perfectionist is, but he will learn one day that Kazama Arashi fits the bill _perfectly_.

But then again, the rewards were worth it. One time, about a year or two ago, he asked his mother…

_Naruto stood by in the kitchen at Hirano's Noodle Place, their place of work, as he saw Marina wash some dishes, Karui helping alongside her. He bit his lip as he prepared to ask his mother a question._

_"Hey mommy?" the kind Marina turned her head._

_"Yes Naru-chan?" For whatever reason, he didn't mind her calling her chan. _

_"Can I talk to you about something?"he looked a bit downtrodden. Marina nodded, as if in understanding. She looked down at Karui._

_"Karui-chan, will you keep on washing the dishes for me and place them in the washer? I need to talk to your brother."_

_"Okay mommy." And Marina dried her hands off on the apron she wore and she and Naruto walked out of the kitchen and into the small stand. Fortunately,the family was on a break as there was no customers in their tiny restaurant._

_"So," she kneeled down to his level. "What's up?"_

_"Why does daddy make me do a lot of work? All the other kids get to go out and play. All he makes me do is just work and work and its never done right he just... The boy trailed off watching as his mothers lips curled into a gentle, warm smile  
_

_"Oh...well...it's complicated sweetie. Despite how your father acts, he truly loves you you know."_

_"Well he doesn't act like it.…" He said reluctantly, petulantly, trying to make his mother see where he was coming from. Marina chuckled._

_"That's because your father has a hard time showing what he feels sweetie. Not to mention, he wants what's best for you, he knows that with hard work, you can overcome anything. He wants you to know that too." She looked around then, as thoug making sure no one was around. "Plus, when we are alone" she gave a chuckle at the boy's suddenly eager eyes. "He always tells me how proud he is of you." Naruto's face opened up, touched about what his mother said._

_"Really?"_

_"All the time," she gave a funny face imitating her husband's gruff voice "Naruto will become a strong man one day. He did all the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. He'll be a good, strong man, I know it. With enough character in him, Naruto will be getting girls all over the place. That boy will be a good honest man when he gets older, you'll see,"_

_"Really? He's proud of me?"_

_"Of course he is. He's your father after all. He just has a hard time showing it. Don't ever think otherwise. Do you have any more questions?"_

_"No mommy. Let's help sis clean up. There maybe more people wanting to come in soon," Marina chuckled._

_"Sure thing Naru-chan." And Mother and son returned to kitchen._

As he stepped out of the shower and began drying himself off, Naruto paused, catching sight of himself in the mirror. At the sight of his reflection, his mind began to wander, back to about a month or two ago He'd had a question that had been scratching at the back of his mind for a long while then:

_He'd always noticed his stark blond hair, blue eyes, and strange, whisker-like marks on his cheeks. From what his Uncle Jiraiya had told Naruto when the young boy asked, the old sage told him it was just a special birth mark. The boy passed it off, but that question nagged at his small brain._

_Why didn't he look like his parents? Karui was a spitting image of mommy, and even though his father had blue eyes, he had a different tone. Daddy's eyes were platinum blue, while his were as blue as a clear sky. As he dressed up, he walked down the hall of their apartment and into the living room. Karui was still playing with ball against the wall, which had evident indents in it for years of constant playing. Mommy was out working and he saw his dad cleaning dishes. Arashi was a stay at home dad most of the time, but he did some work with construction of new homes from time to time for friends and new residents that came into the village. His dad said it was better to be on good terms with as many people as one could get. _

_When the former Konoha nin turned, he caught sight of his youngest son._

_"Ah, Naruto. Help me out please. Can you load the dishes?" The mentioned boy nodded._

_"Okay," and he walked towards his dad and was given dishes and inserted them into the right spots in the washer._

_Naruto's gut churned with some unease, it would be so much easier to ask his mother than his father, but the need to know was simply clawing at the back of his skull, demanding to be voiced wether it be to his mother or his stricter father._

_Finally, after several minutes in the man's presence the blond decided to bite the bullet._

_"Hey dad?" Naruto's hair covered his eyes, which were looking at the ground. Arashi kept on scrubbing a plate for any hard muck._

_"Yea?"_

_"Why don't I look like you or mommy?" Arashi looked down at him, face neutral. The only sound being the running water and Karui's ball._

_"Karui-chan?" _

_"Yeah dad?"_

_"Can you go outside for a bit?"_

_"But it's cold out~"_

_"Take a jacket. I don't want that wall any more damaged than it already is." Karui got up and grabbed her jacket and went outside the apartment. The thunks of the ball can be heard. Arashi dried his hands._

_"Come with me," he placed his hand on his shoulder and Naruto felt his heart lurch down to his feet with the weight of that limb as they walked towards the couch. And the sat down together._

_"now what would make you say that sort of question Naruto?" The boy looked downtrodded._

_"Well…I mean…look at me dad. The only thing I have what you have is your eyes, but they are a different tune-"_

_"Tone. Tone of color." Arashi decided not to reprimand on the boy's lack of attention on his vocabulary studies just now._

_"Tone than my eyes. So why dad. Why don't I look like you or mommy?" he looked up at him with pleading his eyes, his voice soft._

_Arashi's face was hard, staring down at his son, who he had worked hard since he was 6. He let out a big sigh and grabbed his son's shoulder._

_"Naruto, despite what you may think, you're special. To me, and to your mother, and to your sister."_

_"But I don't look like you. Could it...am I..." The words were choking in his throat, and when he finally said them they emerged in a rush. "Am I adopted dad?"_

_He looked up to his father's stony face and Naruto's gut churned with nervous fear._

_Then, Naruto felt his eyes widen, and his father's arms were wrapped around him in a warm, hug, Naruto's eyes widened. He'd heard his father praised him behind his back from his mom but...an open display of afection, even to Karui was a rare thing and every time it'd happened before was a moment that always made either of them freeze with surprise…_

_This was no exception. _

_"You're very special Naruto, and you're my son and my family. Don't let anyone say otherwise. So what if you're a little different? You're still Mari-chan's son and Karui-chan's little brother. And you're my son, and I couldn't have had it any other way." Naruto was speechless. Despite his hard tone of voice, the fact that he's saying this while hugging him…_

_"Daddy?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I hear a lot of kids say that their daddies and mommies call their sons the best son in the world. Am I the best the son in the world? Better than any of them?"_

_"You know I hate stupid questions Naruto." He answered in a stern voice, causing him to deflate…_

_"You're the best son a father could have." And he reinflated instantly and began to tear up, and he hugged his dad even more tightly. Arashi held him, and each moment felt like a year before Arashi cancelled the hug._

_"Now then…Karui-chan must be freezing. Let's bring her back in," he walked towards door to let her in, Naruto feeling fuzzy inside as he did._

_They'd talked a little more later, when Marina had gotten back and they confirmed that, yes, he was adopted. Naruto thought he should feel worse than he did, considering he felt little, but the truth was that his suspicions had been brewing about this for some time, perhaps that had lessened the blow, and the fact that both Arashi and Marina had both been very firm in expressing that they didnt love him any less than they did Karui. It appeased him._

_Maybe one day he'd try to find out a little more about who his other mother and father were. But as far as he was concerned, he was happy here; Arashi and Marina are his real mommy and daddy._

Finishing getting dressed the boy shook off the last vestiges of sleep as he left his room.

He walked into the kitchen, seeing Arashi on the couch reading a book. He looked up and saw his blonde son and gave a small smile.

"Guess who's day is it?" he said as Naruto smiled.

"My birthday!" Arashi ruffled his mop of yellow hair, Marina was also standing by in the kitchen with a wide smile.

"It's your ninth birthday Naru-chan! You're becoming a big boy," cooed the dark-skinned woman as she kneeled down and gave the boy a kiss. Karui also ran in and hugged Naruto.

"Your getting bigger lil bro, but I'll always be taller than you~"

"No your not! One day I'll be taller than you! Just you wait!"

"That'll be the day," smirked the redhead as she gave Naruto a headlock and gave him a noogie. The boy whined as Arashi chuckled.

"Ah your bawling over a little rubbing on your noggin, by a girl no less," teased Arashi.

"Daddy!"

"Unhand the pure boy, uncouth evil-doer!" booned a great voice, causing everyone to turn towards the now open window near the kitchen. Standing on the sink as if he just arrived was none other than Uncle Jiraiya, with a great smile on his face.

"For it is I, The Gallant Jiraiya-sama, who has come for a special occasion!" The children's face's beamed.

"Uncle Jiraiya!" cheered the kids as they ran over to the sage and hugged him.

"Close the window you old bas-magnificent man you. Your wasting heat," said Arashi, amending his words as he caught his wife's glare about cursing infront of the kids

"I'm not old! I'm only 47!"

"Well your starting to show gray."

"I can't show gray because my hair is naturally white!"

"So you say, you could be lying about that." Arashi laughed. Jiraiya let a grin come up at the dry humor.

"Oh right! Now, which special birthday boy wants a present?" Naruto beamed.

"Me! Me! Me!"

And so the day began.

Outside, down the road, looking out a window another building, a tiny sliver of light reflected off of curved glass.

A man took a non flashing camera of the open window Jiraiya of the Sannin climbed into. Winding the film again as he shot off another picture.

He clicked a few more times, catching Jiraiya giving the blonde child a piggy back ride, and observing the family for the rest of the day. The uninvited voyeur took several more pictures.

He wrote down something onto a scrap of paper and collected a bunch of photos and notes into a small bag and left the apartment dressed as a normal civilian.

Nearly two years of undercover and track work had finally born fruit.

_____**Theres chapter 3 for ya. Next one has Sasuke and Tenten in it. Hope yall enjoyed.**_

_____**********Beta'ed and edited by Ld 1449**_


	4. Academy Life

**I do not own Naruto. Kishimoto does.**

_October 9th, Konohagakure no Sato. Shinobi Academy_

"And so with the death of the Nidaime Hokage, Senju Tobirama, one of his students, Sarutobi Hiruzen, would go on to become the Sandaime Hokage who watches over our village today, as appointed by Nidaime Tobirama after his death." droned the chunin as he lectured from a book at the front of the classroom.

About half of the young shinobi hopefuls were bored, just trying to get through the class. One boy with dark hair pulled back into a pineapple shaped ponytail was already asleep. Only a few students seemed to actually write down notes, and another few just paid attention, looked at the clock, and looked at the teacher to avoid writing notes. The majority of the young girls in the class were whispering to each other and eyeing one individual sitting up at the front, who was writing down abridged notes.

That individual was Uchiha Sasuke, Age 8.

'_So the Nidaime got himself killed, and his subordinate and student became the Sandaime…_' thought Sasuke as he wrote. He needed to maintain his good grades in order to possibly graduate early or become the next Rookie of the Year.

Either one gained would result in getting a good Jounin sensei for teaching, and that meant the ability to gain more strength for his ambitions, even if it meant acing a boring class like history.

Though, in all truth he could say that the last two years in the Shinobi Academy of Konohagakure went better than expected for the young Uchiha, and that was because of one Tamahagane Tenten, She'd been his best friend since he cared to remember.

Tenten, due to being a year older, was one year ahead of Sasuke, so they could not take the same classes together, much to the boy's ire.

To make up for that, every other day the two would train at the Uchiha compound, improving their skills against each other. They would even occasionally teach each other techniques the other favored. Sasuke would help Tenten learn jutsu and improved Taijutsu, and Tenten would help improve the young Uchiha's weapon and ninja tool skills. Recently, Tenten had begun practice on Chakra control and so by proxy, he was practicing it now too.

He turned towards the back of the room where the clock would be, but unintentionally got the attention of a young platinum blonde haired girl with blue eyes and a light turquoise dress and shirt. She saw his eyes and turned away blushing. Sasuke turned back towards the front, feeling somewhat ill with trepidation of making eye contact with one of two most of the vocal of what he names "The Fangirl Brigade".

Yamanaka Ino.

One more minute until the sparring session…

"Well that's all for today kids. Head over to the courtyard for a half-hour sparring session with Iruka-sensei. Don't dwaddle now," smiled the chunin as he walked out of the classroom. The shinobi hopefuls filed on out and Sasuke was the first out the door.

"Hey Sasuke-kun wait up! I wanna ask you something!" Ino.

"Sasuke-kun do you um…" the second member of the loudmouths of the Brigade: Haruno Sakura. Pink hair, green eyes, and a one piece red dress.

"Buzz off Billboard Brow, he met my eyes first so he's going out with me to the Yondaime Day festival!"

"Eat crud Ino-pig! There's a saying called '_first the worst and second the best'_ and he met _my _eyes after yours!"

Liar. She was from his right and he turned his head left. He did not see her.

"No you eat crud! He likes blondes over pink! Don't ya Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke broke into a fast walk, hands in pockets. The sooner he gets his spar in, the faster he can go home, train, eat dinner, and get as much sleep as he can.

Because Konoha is the Sleepless City during Yondaime Day.

Listening to the two bickering behind him he could only hope, Tenten might be having fun with her classes…

* * *

Tenten was decidedly _not _having fun at all with her classes. She continued staring at the _things_ in front of her with a twitching eye.

A simple pretty batch of flowers, right next to a dug up hole with some of the soil next to it and a watering pail.

Botany was a mandatory class for Kunoichi-hopefuls at the Konoha Shinobi Academy, and how a class such as _flower arranging_ was a ninja skill baffled the bunhaired girl. What made her gag was that the other kunoichi-hopefuls cooed at the meadow before them.

"Suzume-sensei? Why do we have to do this again?" she asked out loud.

"Now now Tenten, a pivotal skill for kunoichi for blending in on infiltration missions. After all, the enemy would never expect a mere gardening flowergirl to be an enemy ninja? It could also teach you what plants hold medicinal values" explained the bispectled woman. "Now, class is almost complete and you haven't even touched your flowers. They are living things after all."

"Can they talk and eat ice cream?"

"Well no-"

"Then they aren't living things. They're just…" Tenten stared at the flowers in the pot. "Pretty grass…"

"Well that's the first I've heard of it being called that, but you are staying until you finish that flower bed with love and care, regardless of Yondaime Day tomorrow young lady."

Tenten rolled her eyes. A Hokage-to-be like her shouldn't be picking flowers! She should be training her body and mind, like in her morning classes. But this…

This is just proving that boys will always be better than girls, because they are not arranging flowers. They are honing their bodies to the fullest. That's why every Kage in the history of the Elemental Nations was always male.

Tenten continued to stare down at the flowers with a sneer, until she looked at the clock at a nearby lamppost. Sasuke would be getting out of normal class and into his sparring session…

That would a perfect time for the both of them to show how strong they both are. The thought made the 9 year old girl smile. She turned her head, seeing the bispectled chunin reading her clipboard. She stared down at the flower pot and the dirt and smiled as she saw Suzume sensei was distracted with some of the other girls.

"Suzume-sensei I'm done and I'm heading out, see ya!" said Tenten as she broke into a run after placing the flowers into the mound with "love and care". Suzume looked up and at the flowers Tenten arranged.

All the bunhaired girl did was place the entire pot into the hole and shoved the dirt around it in a quick-like manner, the flowers roughed up due to the quick placement into the dirt. Suzume felt appalled.

"I said _love and care_ not _hasty and crude_! Tamahagane get back here! Yelled the sensei as she chased after the young girl out of the meadow and into the Academy. She ran past some alleys chasing after the giggling Tenten down pavement, past a brick wall and into the street past the Academy…

She did not notice Tenten hoist down a camoflauge, giggling as she did.

"Sorry Suzume-sensei, but this girl isn't doing any gardening anytime soon!" she declared as she ran the opposite direction towards the courtyard.

Much to her luck, there was a mob of kids gathered about, a chunin who she could recognize as Iruka-sensei and a spar going down. She slowly melded in with the boys and watched…

Sasuke had his hands in his pockets as he witnessed Kiba whoop some kids butt. Hiroshi or something he didn't bother to remember his name. Turns out Kiba was allowed to any Taijutsu at his disposal, including his family's style. Hiroshi just used the basic Academy style and eventually got smeared. His eyes scanned his fellow classmates.

The girls were huddled in one mob and the boys and a few other girls in another. The all-girl crowd was the Fangirl Brigade, who were just talking and sniding with each other(to see who would get dibs on him) and the other crowd just wanting to get the spar over with and go home to get ready for Yondaime Day tomorrow.

He saw Kiba gloating over the kid, before Iruka silenced his trap. Why bother talking? Dogs don't learn obedience verbally, it's usually through persuasion or physical means.

"Uchiha Sasuke can you step up to the ring please?" asked Iruka. The young Uchiha obeyed and walked up to the small clearing. His plan was simple, he'd beat up some kid…head home, train with Tenten, eat dinner, and get some sleep.

Beat up, Tenten, dinner, sleep.

Simple, easy to remember.

"Now who hasn't fought and would like to volunteer? Iruka called, not even looking up from his clip board."

Sasuke scanned the crowd of his fellow classmates. He can't fight Kiba due to Kiba already going. Shikamaru or Chouji maybe easy to win against. But knowing Shikamaru, he'd just won't bother right from the start. The young Uchiha let loose a sigh and-

"Iruka-sensei? Can I be his opponent?"

Sasuke perked up and turned towards the source of a very familiar voice, and many of the other students turned as well. Standing there arms crossed and with a confident grin on her face was Tenten, wearing a simple large blue shirt and jeans.

The reactions of his classmates varied.

"Hey who's she?" Chouji.

"Thank goodness I don't need to fight today, it's too much of a pain." Shikamaru.

"And you are..." said Iruka confused. But Sasuke gave what made the Fangirl Brigade a shock and awe treatment.

He smiled.

"Iruka-sensei I choose her to be my opponent," said the Uchiha as he faced towards Tenten gave the symbol of "combat", which Tenten returned in kind. Iruka and the other hopefuls stepped back.

"Well if you insist then-"

"What the hell Iruka-sensei! How come he gets to fight some damn nobody we don't know?" Kiba yelled, his mind easilly traveling to how this was some kind of set up to make Sasuke look good.

"Kiba be quiet," ordered Iruka.

"Yeah, besides I ain't a nobody," said Tenten as she turned her heads towards the Inuzuka. "I'm the girl who's gonna whip Sasuke's butt." She said with a grin.

That set the female majority of the class.

"Who do the hell do you think you are! Sasuke-kun smiles at you and mock him like that! Show some respect and learn your place!" yelled Ino.

"Yeah Sasuke-kun will wipe the floor with you dumb bimbo!" added Sakura.

"Enough!" yelled Iruka at his students. "And quit it with the language, you're only 9 years old!" He turned towards Sasuke and Tenten.

"Okay, you may begin." Sasuke and Tenten still stood there smiling at each, still having their fingers locked in the stance of combat.

"So, how shall we do it? Fast or slow?" asked Tenten.

"I was originally going to go through this quick so that we can train back at my place, but since you're here lets take our time," replied the Uchiha as he charged, as did the bunhaired girl.

"Go Sasuke-kun!"

"Kick her ass!"

"Language Haruno!"

And the two charged, both catching each other's right hooks. Tenten dropped down and sweeped her leg, which Sasuke jumped and delivered a kick to the girls head. She gave a yelp as she dodged narrowly before regaining her composure and rushing back in into the fray, launching more strikes and kicks which Sasuke blocked or evaded.

"Still as hard to hit as ever," breathed Tenten between blows.

"Your hits still can make a bruise," replied the Uchiha, now going on the counterattack, which Tenten evaded by skipping her legs to and fro, avoiding his carefully aimed punches and kicks and delivering a strike or two in between causing him to wince.

Iruka's mouth was morphed into an "O" as was the entire majority of the class. The Fangirl Brigade too was shocked, not at Sasuke's skill but at Tenten's. No one had ever giiven the last Uchiha such a hard time, but yet, if the looks on their faces indicate anything…

They were having fun, and lots of it. Suddenly both boy and girl threw a punch which flew past which each and landed each other on their cheeks, causing both to stagger back and regain their breath.

Tenten moved first, Sasuke was next, though his Seal speed was slightly faster.

Horse, Tiger, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger.

Iruka gasped, moving to step in, but it was already too late.

Both young combatants locked their hands in the Tiger hand sign and drew a deep breath.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" they both yelled out as they exhaled a large fireball towards one another. The other hopefuls staggered back in shock, some screaming and Iruka was even more shocked as the two jutsu's collided. Slowly the two fireballs dispersed, leaving a blackened smudge on the ground.

Tenten then fell onto her back and Sasuke onto his knees. Both of them were panting.

"Crud…I still can't fire one off perfectly like you Sasuke…" breathed Tenten as she turned her head towards the panting Uchiha, who gave a small smile of recognition back at her.

"You're getting better though, at least better than last weeks try. It took me several months to learn this jutsu."

"But you're better at it though…" Sasuke got up on his feet and walked towards Tenten, giving her his hand. She accepted it and got back up onto his feet and they both interlocked their fingers with the symbol of harmony, as customary to tradition. Tenten turned towards the scarred and stunned sensei.

"Hey sensei can me and Sasuke head home now? We finished our spar-"

"You could have killed Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke rolled his eyes. Ino and Sakura were bewildered, shocked, and apparently angry.

"Ya you could burned his face off you bunhaired butthead!" snarled the pinkette. Iruka returned to reality to diffuse the situation

"Okay enough out of the two of you!" he turned towards the bunhaired girl and the dark haired boy. "Where did you two learn the Gokakyu no Jutsu?"

"It's the Uchiha's trademark jutsu. I taught Tenten in my spare time," replied the tired Uchiha. "Now can we leave? Once we had our sparring session we can leave right?"

"That's true but listen, what the both of you did was extremely dangerous, especially for children your age! Had you held that jutsu longer, you may wind up in the hospital for chakra exhaustion, or worse! Didn't I teach you that!" scolded Iruka. In truth he was proud that Sasuke was helping a comrade become better in their free time, but he didn't anticipate them using a dangerous jutsu like that, especially given their ages. He was half tempted to give them detention or something.

"I know, but it's also to help Tenten get stronger, and when she gets stronger I get stronger too!"

"Yep. After all the next Hokage needs her number two to be in tip-top shape!" the bunhaired girl gave a toothy grin. The rest of the class quirked their eyebrows.

"So that's your goal?" asked the lazy Nara.

"To be the first female Hokage in the history of Konoha! That's my dream! And in order to achieve that dream-"

"A girl being Hokage? Yeah right!" goaded Kiba as he regained his composure from the earlier fireworks.

Tenten about faced, glaring at the Inuzuka.

"What was that pee-pee licker?" That made the classmates laugh, as Kiba paled, then flushed with rage, stunned at the sudden insult.

"Okay enough already! If I see any more fights or calling each other names, it's detention for a week understand!" yelled Iruka, putting out a possible powder keg that was the prideful Inuzuka. "Class is dismissed, just head on home and enjoy your 3 day weekend. And if I see you fight right now!" He let the threat linger as the students scampered to their lockers. Kiba gave a fanged snarl towards the bunhaired girl before sulking away. Likewise, Sakura and Ino gave the girl a sideways stare before walking away as well. Sasuke supported Tenten as they both walked towards their own lockers as well.

"You two wait," commanded the scarred chunin as Sasuke and Tenten stopped.

"I want you both to rest up at the nurses right now. You both show signs of chakra exhaustion and I want the both of you at least to rest for a little while. Okay?"

Sasuke pondered. When they practiced the Gokakyu back at the compound after school, they always rested until dinner time. It makes sense since they are not at the compound.

"Alright then. You game Tenten?"

"I guess. I'm tired as heck right now."

"I'll escort you both up there," and the two tired preteens followed their sensei.

"Tenten was that really nessecary, goading Kiba like that?" Tenten huffed.

"He said I couldn't become Hokage because I am a _girl_. He got it coming."

"That maybe true but still, he is a fellow Konoha shinobi. Try to show some respect to your comrades at least." Iruka said, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"Respect is earned," interrupted Sasuke, turned his heads towards Tenten. "Not given."

"If you say that way I guess but still, what is one of the prime principles of a Konoha shinobi?"

"Learning all the best sort of jutsus in the world?" asked Tenten as they entered the building.

"Becoming stronger," added the Uchiha. Iruka shook his head.

"Neither. It's teamwork. One day you'll both be working alongside Kiba, and how can you accomplish a mission when you are working with someone whom you both bear grudges against? That makes both you and the person of your animosity the weakest links."

"Whats Aminalosity?" Iruka shook his head at himself for choosing such a word.

"Where you don't like someone."

"So hating someone right?"

"That's a bit too strong, _dislike_ would be more preferable". They turned a corner.

"But Kiba insulted me and said that I can't become Hokage because I am a girl! People need to know that boys can't run everything forever and that mutt will know first hand, you'll see sensei!"

"Well aiming to be Hokage is a good goal, but you will need to-"

"There you are young lady!" Tenten's shoulder slumped.

"Busted…"

"That's right…you're a year older for my class aren't you Tenten," said Iruka. Tenten looked away as Suzume walked forward.

"She deliberately left my class and ignored my assignment!"

"Sensei I did finish the flower stuff, what gives?" She said, trying for her out.

"Had you done what you did on a mission the enemy will get suspiscous and figure you out! And those flowers don't grow on trees you know!"

Sasuke stepped in. "Sakuras do. The flower kind. Maybe other kinds too." Suzume and Tenten looked at the young Uchiha.

"What?"

"Okay maybe Sakuras' do as the young Uchiha may have pointed out, but Tenten still neglected my assignment!"

"I still got it done though."

"After two hours!" Iruka rubbed his head. He could really use some sake right now…

"Just give her detention next week and we can all go home," Iruka turned towards the bunhaired girl. "I understand that you may not like the assignments Kunoichis do, but you only do that course for 6 months and you don't have to do it anymore. It's like the chicken pox, okay?"

"I am planning on exten-" she was hushed by Iruka's hand.

"I'll explain over dinner, which I would like soon and Tamahagane-san's whining will only impede said meal. So you wanna come?" Whispered the scarred chunin, just wanting to avoid more arguments than he can deal with. It made the bispectled woman blush for whatever reason.

"I-um…okay sure thing Umino-san…" Iruka nodded and escorted the two children to the nurses office, handing them over to her care.

"Now just rest up, read a magazine or a book or something for an hour or so and you can go home. I don't want you collapsing on your way home okay?"

"Yes sensei." The scarred chunin turned towards Suzume.

"So. Wanna talk over dinner? I'm buying." Suzume, for all her pride as a teacher, looked like a School girl being asked for the first time.

"Well-uh-um…sure?" and the two walked away. Back at the nurses office Tenten was laying on the small bed and Sasuke was sitting on a nearby chair.

The Uchiha was in deep thought. Tomorrow was Yondaime Day, the holiday celebrating the Kyubi no Yoko's defeat and in remembrance for those who died against the demon, the Yondaime included. That meant that village will be in full party mode and people will be bringing dates.

He planned on simply staying within the Uchiha Compound's walls and training for the day. But...

If he stayed at the Compound, then it's more than likely the Brigade will camp out the night to see if he will come out, and then swamp him with date requests. They could even get desperate and try to climb over the walls to get to him, maybe binding him in rope and dragging him to the festival…

And he always did grocery shopping everyday to restock on his small supply of food, and the occasional going out to eat. He had the inheritance money for it.

"What'cha thinking about?" Tenten broke his train of thought and Sasuke stared towards her.

Tamahagane Tenten, his best friend and the blight and the repellant towards the Brigade. Maybe if he asked her to come with him to the festival. After all, he had only gone once.

When his parents were still alive…

"I was wondering," Sasuke looked away and out the window, seeing the bright blue sky and the many buildings.

"Do you wanna go to the Festival for Yondaime Day tomorrow?" Tenten turned towards him.

"Like what the older kids call a 'date' right?" She asked with some hesitation.

"Well we don't 'like-like' each other, so we'd go as friends. And...the Brigade will stop asking me to go with them if you're along." The bunhaired girl laughed.

"Funny. I thought I was gonna get a fanboy club but my best friend gets one." She thought for a moment. "Well I got nothing else to do tomorrow so sure!" Sasuke smiled.

The Uchiha sighed with relief. "Good. You wanna stay at the mansion tonight again?" He thought for a moment. "We'll need to get some clothes for tomorrow."

"What's wrong with the clothes we got?"

"Nothing. I just thought-you know…"

"Thought what?"

"Well we can go restock on clothes. I mean I am running a bit low on shorts. What about you?" Tenten smirked though it was a nervous one.

"So you are asking me out to go shopping, sleepover, light training and attend Yondaime Day Festival with you? I think this classifies as a Date Sasuke."

"No it's not! I-" He stopped, finding her smile.

"Okay then. Once we get out of here, wanna eat at my place or go out?"

"Lets head to your house, we can get the clothes later."

* * *

_Hokage Tower._

Sarutobi continued observing Sasuke and Tenten with his crystal ball, smiling through his pipe. He had observed the young Uchiha and Tamahagane over the last years since that fateful day by the lake. What was once a rivalry to prove a point turned into something that can be read in inspirational stories.

Sasuke lost his family to the hands of his brother, Itachi, ignorant of the real meaning to what the elder brother did such an atrocious act.

And Tenten lost her father at a young age to the fox 9 years prior, and 6 years ago her mother thought the girl did not give her as much happiness as the husband, and not wanting to be swamped in child care taxes and the emotional burden, hung herself.

Both children had lost everything, but by finding each other, they may found something meaningful and something truly beautiful.

one day, it could evolve beyond that, but it may not, but either way, the two have prevented each other from falling into a pit of despair that he could not have helped them out of.

"Hatake Kakashi wishes to see you, Sandaime-sama," said his secretary, peeking her head through the door. Sarutobi looked up and nodded, taking a drag from his dried lips. The secretary disappeared and the door opened, allowing the Jounin to enter.

"Mission accomplished. The smuggler and his operations down in the southern Land of Fire are now halted for good," said the cycloptic man as he handed the Sandaime his report. The old man nodded.

"Good work Kakashi, I knew sending you alone would get the job done," he took a peek at his crystal ball, seeing the young children leave the Academy and walking down the street together.

"Are you busy by chance tomorrow?" Kakashi's eye quirked.

"Yes. Sir it's Yondaime Day tomorrow, you know that means."

"I am well aware, but I want you to do a simple shadowing mission." The scarecrow slumped his shoulders.

"I'll still be able to go to the Festival right? Jiraiya-sama's new book _Icha Icha Swim Session_ is out on sale tomorrow I want to be first in-" He was interrupted by the old man reaching into his desk and placing the very same book being mentioned in front of him.

Kakashi's eye rose up. It…was…beautiful.

He grabbed it and read the short summary on the back outloud, a bit of pink reaching his face.

"_A young man who does not know how to swim hires the help of 3 swim instructors, all female and-"_

"Now, I need you to shadow Uchiha Sasuke tomorrow during the Festival." Kakashi stopped and pocketed the erotic book.

"Sure thing. May I ask why though?"

"Just a precaution. We don't want any mishaps during the Festival." Kakashi nodded.

"Understood." He turned about and walked towards the door. Before exiting he turned his head around.

"And thanks a ton for the book!" and he skipped away, already reading it and giggling like a schoolgirl. The old man shook his head in amusement and turned around to observe more of dealings around the village.

And he pulled an additional copy of _Icha Icha Swim Session _himself and started reading.

_October 10__th__ Uchiha Compound._

Sasuke looked at himself in the mirror after brushing his teeth and showering, recollecting last night.

After he and Tenten left the Nurses office, they stopped by the orphanage Tenten is staying at to let the caretaker know of Tenten staying the night. The caretaker happily allowed her, especially upon seeing him of all people. Then they immediately headed for the compound afterwards, with the more stealthy of the Brigade following them from a distance. Thankfully, with Tenten by his side they kept their distance.

But then again, the Brigade now have a sworn enemy in the bunhaired girl, but she didn't seem to mind.

The dinner he cooked last night as simple. Just rice and stewed beef, which they both ate without complaint. Knowing Tenten, she had ate similar stuff at the orphanage. After talking of the days events, they ehaed to bed in separate bedrooms, Sasuke in his room and Tenten in the guest room.

Though he'd hardly admit it, least of all to himself, the Uchiha was really happy that Tenten slept over and provided company. It can get really lonely at the compound sometimes…

After finishing his last touches to grooming, Sasuke put on some clothes walked into the kitchen, grabiing some toast and placing it in the toaster. He heard some footsteps coming down the stairs with a yawn.

"Morning," grumbled Tenten, who still had her buns in place.

"Morning. You gonna get dressed soon? We can go shopping later to get you clothes."

"For tonight?

"Yep."

"Eh, why not. Once we eat let's go out then. Streets are going to be crowded by noon."

* * *

_Market District, Konohagakure_

Haruno Sakura was strolling the streets with her mother at her side doing some last minute shopping before the streets become cluttered with people celebrating Yondaime Day. As she was being tugged by her mom's hand she saw her rival Ino out with her father as well.

Ino…her rival for Sasuke-kun's affection and love, and when she thought of the handsome Uchiha, that other girl came to mind.

Tenten.

The fact that the girl gave bruises to Sasuke-kun's beautiful body, nearly burned him alive, and had the nerve to treat him as though he was just some normal boy made her so mad that she wanted to find that little...

She growled before looking up again and finding Ino still standing across the street.

The two former friends eyes met and suddenly an idea plopped into the head of the pinkette. She turned up to her mother.

"Hey mommy? Can I talk to my friend real quick? I'll be right to help you get the final stuff for cooking."

"Why of course dear, just don't go to far okay?"

"Okay."

Sakura jogged over to where Ino and her father were inspecting some vegetables.

"Hey Ino-pi-err-pal, hows it going!" The quick change from insult to compliment made the blonde's eye quirk.

"Huh? What are you doing here-"

"Hey you wanna talk about the Festival tonight? _Alone_ maybe?" she said in a loud voice, hoping her father would understand the picture of girl time. The older Yamanaka understood shooed Ino away, which Sakura grabbed her arm and they moved towards the canned food section.

"The heck Widebrow? What did you need to talk to me about the festival tonight about?" Sakura sighed.

"You know that girl from yesterday?"

"You mean the one who almost killed Sasuke-kun? Of course I do!" Sakura's eye twitched but she calmed herself.

"I have a very bad hunch that he maybe going with _her_ tonight for the festival." Ino's eyes widened.

"What!" she said in a hushed voice. "What makes you of all people say that! Yondaime Day is the best day of the year! Why would Sasuke-kun go with her!"

"Maybe they knew each other longer than we did, or maybe we are not as assertive towards Sasuke-kun as she is, but my instincts are telling me that they will be going out tonight…"

"Then why share this stuff with me Billboard Brow?"

"Because even though I don't like you, I need your help. We are going to try and split them apart. No one comes between my Sasuke-kun and I am sure you feel the same way. So…" she held her hand out to the blonde. "Truce? Once the two are separated, it's back to us being rivals. After all, we are both the best girls for Sasuke-kun. Well I am actually."

Ino looked at the hand and narrowed her eyes at the last comment, but sighed. One thing about Sakura that Ino would admit was that Sakura was much smarter.

She will work together with her. For now…

"Truce." And the shook on it.

"Okay. Meet me over by the apartment near Sasuke-kun mansion and we will shadow them from there. Then, once they get into the main festival grounds in the Entertainment District, we'll sabotage their relationship like true shinobi would!"

"Right! This is no playing ninja, when Sasuke-kun is involved it's the real deal!" agreed Ino.

"Sakura-chan! I got what we needed, let's go!" The pinkette turned towards the source of her mother's voice. "Coming mommy!"

"Tonight at 5 o clock? Be there Ino-pig."

"Damn right I will Forehead." And the two girls went back to their parents.

_Noon. Unknown Location: Konohagakure no Sato._

* * *

Shimura Danzo was busy checking over a couple of documents to himself inside his dark office.

There were strong movement's in Kiri, and Kumo is becoming a problem. With two Jinchuuriki and a bottomless military budget they were now close to usurping Konoha's unofficial title of the strongest of the five.

There was nothing he or his Root could do about it now. At least Suna and Iwa are pointing fingers and nails at each other. Hopefully it may evolve into daggers. Perhaps with a nudge here and there.

He felt the signature of a _Shunshin no Jutsu_ in his office, right in front of him. He did not remove his eyes from the reports, but judging by the breathing of the individual, the person made great haste to deliver his report.

"Who is this?"

"Gumo sir".

He lifted his head, seeing the Root nin wearing a mask with 8 eyes and lines of fangs near the mouth. Fitting with the animal theme of the spider.

"I see you have returned from your observation mission Gumo. What do you report?" The mentioned Root nin stood up slowly and walked forward, placing several photos on the Root Director's desk.

"The place Jiraiya has been visiting I assume?" Danzo said after a moment of observing the things

"Yes sir. From what I have observed they are the Kazama family." Danzo placed his former document down and started looking at the pictures in his hands. One was of a man in his 30's with shoulder length black hair steel blue eyes working with a young girl, around 10 or 11, who bore red hair, dark skin, and amber eyes. Another photo showed a full grown woman looking much like the younger girl's mother walking hand in hand with the girl and a boy. And the boy is what made Danzo's eye open further.

The boy had sun-kissed blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and wha was even more odd was the whisker marks on his cheeks.

"Kazama family you say?"

"Yes sir."

"What are the family member's names?"

"The father is Kazama Arashi, a part time construction worker. Records indicate a former Tokubetzu Jounin of Konoha and gennin teammate of Yondaime-sama. The mother is Kazama-Inazuma Marina, no history of former training the creator of a noodle restaurant in Tokimine Town. The daughter is Kazama Karui age 12, and the son is Kazama Naruto, age 9."

Nine years of age. Today is the celebration of the death of the Kyubi no Yoko at the hands of Namikaze Minato.

And that man Kazama Arashi was Minato's teammate. Jiraiya was their sensei, and if that child, who bears whisker marks…

The Kyubi no Yoko was natural disaster given physical form. The thought of a human, even one as gifted as the Yondaime, killing the beast had never sat well with him. This here was the proof..

The child bears a significant resemblance to the Yondaime, and it only makes sense that the man's teammate and friend be the godfather. Obviously a plan made by Sarutobi no doubt, probably to give the child a future of happiness and boring repetition.

But such a future was never an option for a Jinchuriki. The fact that Sarutobi allowed the strongest of the nine bijuu wallow in civilianship was outlandish and stupid. But he had to admit, the old monkey hid it from him, the Director of Root, for nine years. Were it not for the pretense of having but one arm he would have clapped..

"_How interesting_" He thought, smiling.

"Sir?"

"Gumo. Gather teams 6 and 14. Return to Tokimine Town in Frost Country. Your objective is to retrieve the blonde child Kazama Naruto and bring him to Konohagakure."

"What of the other family members."

"Leave no witnesses. Kazama Arashi retired at the age of 23. He turned his back on the village he swore an oath to protect in order to fulfill his heart's meaningless desires. He may have been protected, but no longer. Consider him no better than a nuke-kin."

"Understood sir." And the man walked out of his office. No doubt tired of the marathon he had done to relay his report to his boss. Danzo looked down at the photos, seeing the smiling faces of the family.

"_You did well hiding this from me Hiruzen, but no longer_."

**Next chapter will cover the festival and/or the Root nins moving out. So it will be Sasuke focused.**

**Sorry for the slow update. Finals and real life and all. Hope you enjoyed.**

**Beta'ed by LD 1449.**


	5. Midnight Lament

**I do not own Naruto. That honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Personally, I just wanan say that the latest Naruto chapters have been absolute shit. The only redeeming factor was that Mu summoned the real Madara, and we can all assume that the Masked Man who called himself Madara is his brother Izuna. Let me be clear that I won't follow down that route AT ALL. It will be different, much much different. No "The HEART and kindness" shtick and no Shinobi War where only Zetsu clones are used against the Allied Forces.**

* * *

_Tokimine Town. October 10th. Noon._

"And so, that's how the great and gallant Jiraiya-sama, climbed the tall twin mountains of Mt. Chiyama and arrived into the Land of Desires! There, after so many adversities the hero had arrived and the Land granted him his wishes! And he lived happily ever after, the end." Naruto scratched his head as the story ended. Karui looked bored, and the storyteller Jiraiya looked peeved.

"You came up with that one on the spot didja Uncle," said the dark-skinned redhead in a matter of fact tone.

"No! I made that one up when I was heading my way here! Excuse me but I am not a pro at telling tales to kids your age!"

"Then what are you a pro at Uncle Jiraiya?" Asked Naruto. So far his birthday has gone on without a hitch. The breakfast was great, the presents were cool, and now his dad and mom are out shopping for a lunch, and Uncle Jiraiya told some cool, stories.

Except for the last one...

"Hey Uncle? Is it true that you went to a mountain filled with nothing but frogs?" Asked the young blonde. The white-haired sage looked peeved.

"It's toads not frogs! But yes, in my youth I did go to a mountain that was home to many toads."

"Bleagh." Karui gagged. "Frogs are slimy and gross, and they eat flies and do that thing with their tongue…"

"Hey! Just because they have an odd way of surviving doesn't mean toads are disgusting creatures!"

"They eat flies?" Karui beat Jiraiya to the punch. "Big, nasty, hairy flies who do nothing but buzz around and eat-"

"Okay too much info there missy!" Intervened Jiraiya. The sage looked towards the clock in the living room and began to think.

"What'cha thinking about Uncle Jiraiya?" Asked Naruto.

"Well…I'm gonna go out and…do some errands…"

"What errands?" Asked the children.

"Well that's just none of your bees-whacks now is it? Tell Arashi I'll be back later on tonight!" Jiraiya walked out of the apartment, carrying what seemed to be a notebook and pen.

"What errands does Uncle Jiraiya do?" Asked the blonde. The redhead shrugged.

"Beats me. Wanna wait here for mom and dad?"

"Sure."

And so the children waited, the only sound being Karui's ball bouncing off the wall.

"Dad's not gonna like that."

"Dad's not here is he?"

"He can tell from the craks and dark spots on the wall."

The redhead only rolled her eyes and kept on bouncing the ball.

* * *

_Tokimine Town. October 10th. Half past Noon. _

"So dear, are you really go through with what Minato asked?" Asked Marina as she walked along with her husband in the market district.

"I don't know really," responded back the black-haired constructor. "I mean, I have some good contacts here. But Naruto and Karui-chan don't have a lot of friends here."

"So if we move to the Konoha, it wouldn't hurt Naruto that much. I mean, he has nothing keeping him here except us, and we are his family."

"True."

"But there's also to consider the whole change of environment for him. I mean, he's accustomed to jackets and he likes the weather here. Isn't Konoha hot?"

"Only during the summer. Most of the time it's mild."

"And then there's the whole idea of his real father being the Yondaime Hokage. It could get in his head."

"If he allows the idea of a dead man granting him 'holier-than-thou' or 'kiss-the-ground-I-walk-on' get to him I'll pop him one." Marina chuckled.

"But then again, Naru-chan is your son. The only thing Minato has on him is looks, and nothing more." Arashi nodded.

"So in a way, we lose nothing if we move, but we don't gain anything. We'd be starting from scratch in, for you guys, a new land."

"But we have you right? We would get by just fine!" Arashi shook his head.

"There's also the fact that I resigned from the Tokubetsu Jounins as well as your and Karui's..." He paused.

"Our skin?"

"More or less. People will think you are from Kumo. And trust me, if there's one thing that's ugly about Konoha is that they are discriminatory to the 10nth degree, when it comes to Iwa and be honest I blame the pot of clans situated in the village and their "pure" ideology and whatnot."

"That's true...and I heard there was an ugly incident between Kumo and Konoha a while back that could have been a new ninja conflict. We need to think of what could happen to Karui-chan here too if any of our children will be in danger then its not worth it." Arashi nodded.

"I know. Konoha may regard her as inferior due to just her skin color. I don't want you or her to experience that, yet I don't want to blow off the last wish of my best friend..."

"Well...we got all the time in the world. Minato wanted Naru-chan to live in Konoha at age twelve, so we got time to think and talk it over with Jiraiya to weigh our pros and cons."

"Yea," Arashi stopped and stared in the direction and saw steam rising over some houses. He gave a shake of his head a let a small smile loose.

"What's that face for?"

"Nothing." He found a stone near his foot and held it in his right hand. With his left hand, he licked his thumb and lifted it high. Marina now looked puzzled.

"Honey?"

"There we go!" Arashi dragooned the small pebble into the air and held a hand to his ear and waited.

And heard shrill and surprised female screams, followed by angry shouts and a man hollering for his life.

"Oh my! Who was that?" Pondered Marina. Arashi himself looked a bit shocked.

"I just guessed...never thought I'd score..."

"Score what? Are you playing some game," Marina suspiciously stared towards her husband, who shrugged.

"Nah. Just boredom." _"And jerking sensei around."_ Thought the blue-haired man. "Now then. What should we get for Naruto for dinner?"

"He does like ramen. My cooked ramen as well as the store brands."

"Ugh. The store brand ramen sucks. Let's get him some healthy ingredients for a four-star dinner shall we?" The dark-skinned mother smiled and roped her arm around his.

"Yea...Lets." He added after another second before looking at her "Got anything in mind?"

"Well...maybe beef might be a nice treat. Red meat is a bit rare up here in the northeast and Naru-chan deserves a treat. Besides, making Miso is a pain."

"Coming from a noodle chef that's kind of hard to believe."

"Well everyone has their likes and dislikes. Mine pertains to how to prepare our beloved son's birthday supper." Smiled Marina at Arashi, who returned the smile back. This was what made him retire from shinobi service, her smile.

Then they passed by a rice stand and gazed at their prices.

"That much! You kidding me? How can people eat if they jack up the price so much!" Blurted out Arashi in surprise.

"Well it is winter...and Hotsprings meteorologists do predict a dry spell in the coming months," pointed out the olive skinned woman.

"Friggin A', why can't we ever get rain. Kiri hogs it all for goodness sake."

"That's the way the wind blows I guess."

"Literally." Then they laughed at their humor.

"Ah let's just find noodles. Their cheap and easy to grow," chuckled Arashi.

"Quite so, _Ara-kun~"_ cooed Marina with a sly look. Arashi blushed.

"Don't call me that in public..."

"But I like it~"

"You can call me that when I am biting the pillow and your jumping on me dry while holding my neck with a leash. Let's get-" She swatted his head.

"Ouch!"

"Don't talk about _that_ kind of sex in public," Marina said, wagging her finger in front of his face.

"Says the wife of mine who calls me by my pet name we use privately for each other. Oh look their selling potatoes!" And the couple continued browsing and shopping.

Meanwhile a block over, a bleeding and bruised Jiraiya hid from the scorned and enraged women, as they patrolled the streets now in dry clothes seeking to flay him alive.

"I swear if I find the one who threw that stone I'll shove a _Rasengan_ up where the sun don't shine..."

* * *

_Tokimine Town. Nearing sundown._

"Hey Uncle Jiraiya where did you get those bruises?"

"I encountered a herd of evil harpies who sought to skin me alive and eat my innards." Naruto gave him another glass of milk as the sage gulped it down. The still repeating thunk thunk noise of Karui's ball outside the apartment door showed that the parents were not home yet, otherwise Arashi would have brought Karui inside.

"Harpies exist Uncle?"

"Yep. But I fought them off! After all-" He gave the blonde a grin. "I _am_ the great and gallant Jiraiya-sama after all!"

"Then how come you did not summon a frog to squash the evil-doing harpies?" Jiraiya chuckled nervously.

"Well uh...haha...they...they eat frogs and-wait it's toads! Not frogs! Toads!"

"Whats the difference? They're both green, slimy, and ugly looking," stated the young blonde with naivety. The white-haired sannin gasped.

"There are differences! Once you know those differences, it would be like comparing the moon and the sun!"

"But aren't the moon and the sun the same?"

"What! No! Of course not!"

"Well they are both circles in the sky. They both give us light and they even share the same sky. I don't see a difference."

"The Sun is...is..." Now the sage looked stumped. "Now that I think about it, I don't know what the sun is either...but it is not a giant floating rock like the moon!"

"Then how come the moon can give light?" Jiraiya placed his fingers around his chin in thought.

"That's a really good question...I'll have to ask one of my friends about it," The old sage stood up and walked towards the bathroom. "If you'll excuse me." He closed the door to take care of business. The blonde could hear Karui coming inside and repeating the ball bouncing on the door.

"I'm bored," said the young blonde.

"I'm bored too," replied the redhead.

"Wanna know what would be cool?"

"What?"

"Fireworks. I always liked them." They could hear the flushing of the bathroom and the opening of the door.

"We're home!" chirped Marina.

"Karui stop denting that wall." Said Arashi.

"Okay." She stopped the ball and Naruto could hear the bathroom door open.

**"**Well, that takes care of my business. I think I'm gonna head back on the road." Smiled the sage.

"Leaving so soon?" Asked Arashi.

"Well I got places to go, people to see, spots to research, all that fun stuff. Besides I don't want to a moocher or anything," answered Jiraiya.

"But we are just going to start making dinner. We would be happy to have you around," intoned Marina. Jiraiya smiled and shook his head.

"Marina-chan I would love to, but like I said before, I'm a busy man otherwise I'd stay here forever." Naruto ran up to him and hugged his leg.

"I'm gonna miss you Uncle. Will you come by again next year?" Asked the blonde.

"Actually I'll try to make it back in a month or so. So enjoy the life of a being nine years old. You're growing up to become a man." Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's spiky hair.

"Well don't be a stranger sensei. You're always welcome here," said Arashi. Jiraiya nodded and headed out the door.

"Fare thee well my friends! Parting is such bitter sorrow but alas! Seperation makes the heart fonder for those that travel over yonder hills! One day Tokimine will be blessed once again with the presence-" He stuck a pose and started hopping on one leg.

"We get the point. Now quit it or you'll raise my rent," Arashi shut the door in his face.

"Hey! Ah screw it. See ya in a month!"

"Bye Uncle Jiraiya!" Said Naruto and Karui in tandem. They could hear the clogs of his sandals go further and further away. Marina knelt down towards her two children.

"Whose ready for some beef ramen dinner?" She cooed. Her answer where happy cheers as she chuckled.

"Alrighty then, let's get dinner started. Naruto you can wait." Arashi walked into the kitchen, Marina bringing Karui along as Naruto sat up on the couch with a grin.

This day was fun. He got presents. Uncle Jiraiya came by and told funny and cool stories. And better yet, he's going to eat beef ramen! It made him all warm and fuzzy inside and-he started to scratch his stomach.

Why was it itching all of sudden? And it felt warm too...What could it be? Something from lunch or breakfast earlier?

As he heard the pots moving about and the water running behind him, he thought of what his father would have said. "You probably ate something that didn't agree with you."

"Yeah, probably some bug." Naruto lay down on the couch and closed his eyes.

But he still itched at his stomach. It still felt warm.

* * *

_Tokimine Town. Night. Redlight District._

A man walked down the busy boulevard. All around him he could see drinkers drinking and having a gay ole time. He could see the local prostitutes looking for meat and cash to grab. He can see bars filled with people escaping the cold night air.

And the man couldn't care less, for what he was writing in his hand was much more important.

"One at a time the lady I tell one at a time, but she kept aggressing towards me, her eyes filled with sublime_," _muttered the man as he wrote down he had said in his little notebook. He inspected it more with a keen eye.

"Yo my brotha Eight-o. What you think of my lines bro?" Asked the man to himself.

He was rather tall, and wore a unique white vest over his bare chest and black pants with traditional shinobi sandal. He was olive skinned, signaling his heritage as being northeastern of origin and had his eyes covered by odd black classes. Upon his back he had odd red rods that appeared to be long-dagger or short-sword handles totaling a number of seven. He had platinum blonde hair and carried an aloof disposition about him. Around his head is a white headband with a plate of metal on it.

With the insignia of a shinobi from Kumogakure, the Village Hidden in the Clouds.

As he asked outloud, he heard an annoyed sigh from within his mind.

"**Why ask me of all people. You know how I hate your rhyming and secondly talk to me **_**mentally**_**, people will think you're insane."**

The man sighed and concentrated. Soon he found himself sitting on the nose of his companion.

His "companion" was gigantic, ripe with power and chakra. It had the appearance of a pinkish purple demonic _ushi-oni_, his upper half akin to bill with muscular human like arms, and his lower half like an octopus with eight thick and powerful tentacles.

He was the Hachibi no Kyugo. The Eight-Tailed Giant Ox. And sitting on his nose was Kirabi, Jinchuriki and Jounin of Kumogakure.

"Thanks for reminding me Eight-er. I forget I am still getting the hang of talking to ya through my mind. I got it usually wandering to other places like that sort of kind."

"**You know your brother won't be happy if he finds out you got out of the village again. He keeps you there for a reason."**

"You mean 'Us' there Bro. I need time to vacation and explo'. I can't be a caged bird foreva' you know." The beast shook his head slightly.

_**"We **_**are one of Kumogakure's strongest. He has said time and time again that we need to stay in the village as it's guardian. After all, Kirigakure is not happy with our economic and military boon. Who knows what can happen with the rising tensions?" **The dark-skinned jinchuriki gave a laugh as he grinned.

"Ah no need to fret! When it comes to smashing shinobi heads, place me as your bet!" Out in his physical form, Kirabi saw some well dressed women bass by, one of them dark-skinned. That same lady turned her head and winked as he stopped.

"Well well well, what have there? A couple of pretty ladies in the middle of nowhere?" As the man walked over to the women who were lounging near a bar entrance, the Hachibi gave another sigh.

**"I swear to god if I hear you botch another of your ridiculous rhyme, I'll conjure a tentacle out of your ass and strangle you with it. And besides, why bother with Hotsprings Country hookers?"**

"I guess you don't understand Eight-o. That's fine. Let me define. Hotsprings ladies radiate and love warmth, and warmth is generated by-"

"**Do not explain that rhyme. Or I will-" **The Hachibi was cut off mid-sentence and Kirabi noticed and stopped, paying attention to his inner Bijuu. The giant ox _never _stopped mid-sentence.

"Eight-o?" He asked in concern.

"**Bi. You won't believe this…But we need to talk this in private. I think you'll be surprised…"**

"So no fun fun time?"

"**Now Bi."**

"What if I just say-"

"_**Now."**_

Kirabi knew his beasts' tone. He spoke serious all the time, but this had more severity.

This was important. He gave a sigh and walked into a nearby alley, crossing his arms and communicating mentally with the giant ox.

"Lay it on me Eighty".

"**I sense another jinchuriki nearby…and not just any jinchuriki…" **Kirabi's face frowned in seriousness. The thought of another jinchuriki near Kumo made him both nervous and excited. Excited to possibly fight a strong opponent. Nervous on what his brother, the Raikage Kiraei, would react to a battle between jinchuriki in a neutral country. And caused by _him_ no less.

"Who is it? Kiri's Sanbi or maybe Iwa's Yonbi or Gobi?" Asked the olive skinned jinchuriki. The Hachibi shook his head.

"**None of the above…It's the Kyubi no Yoko…"**

* * *

_Tokimine Town. Nearing midnight. ._

_N_aruto dreamed. He dreamt of his usual day life. Playing with Karui out in the cold alleys. Helping his mom with the noodle shop. Doing chores around the house with his father. They all had smiles on their faces, and for Naruto he was content with that.

He liked living in Hotsprings Country. He liked the cold, because it made being near wamrth feel nice. Like how he felt warm when he snuggles with his mother or his sister.

But the warmth from within his stomach has not gone away. It has only gotten hotter.

He told his parents about it after the dinner, and Arashi said that the beef may have been bad and he'll go to the butcher tomorrow to give him a piece of his mind. They all then got together close by the fire after dinner and talked, with stories and words flowing easilly.

And Naruto loved their warmth. Their smiles and chuckles. He loved his family.

He scrunched his face a little in his sleep as he stirred in bed, oblivious to his window.

His slowly cracking opening window.

He tossed and turned, mumbling a bit as the warmth only increased, now it felt really hot.

Naruto opened his eyes.

"Water..." He mumbled as slowly got out of bed and his feet touched the ground and walked out of his darkened bedroom. He walked into the hallway to head towards the bathroom and-

Suddenly a hand clasped over his mouth and hands bound his body, catching the young boy by surprise. He felt his body being bound by ropes as his eyes went by side to side, trying to see who it was. All he could see in the hallway were dark silhouette's by his side and behind him, clasping his mouth as his body was eventually bound by rope. He was hoisted over the silhouette's shoulder and his eyes widened.

The two figures behind him were dressed in dark clothing, evidently male. He couldn't tell other details in the darkness, but they had dark brown wrappings over their faces as they walked into the living room. He tried to struggle but suddenly one of the figures behind had his hands move in a strange formation.

"_Ninjutsu: Fuzuishi"_. The figure muttered as his hands glowed blue for a moment and he touched the struggling Naruto's forehead.

And the boy went limp, his eyes darted from side to side as the other man unclasped his mouth. He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell for his mom and dad to save him. But for some reason he could not. He felt them place a gag in his mouth as he breathed through his nose.

He was afraid. He was deathly afraid. What were these dark evil men going to do to him. The warmth in his stomach had only become hotter, almost as if a hot potato was place on his navel.

No..not as if on, more like _inside_ it...

The three figures had entered into the living room, and there were three more figures, also dressed in dark clothing and brown wrappings over their faces.

"Target acquired. Commander will be pleased of this. We return to Root," whispered the one holding him. The other three figures nodded, one of them placing a piece of paper on the coffee table. Naruto could see a paragraph of some sort...almost akin to a letter. One of the figures opened up the kitchen window above the sink, and the boy tried to budge. These men were trying to take him away from his mommy and daddy, from his Karui-neechan and Uncle Jiraiya. This leader person wanted to take him away from the people who loved him? Why? Why did people want to take him away?

'_Someone...anyone...help me...'_ he thought as a tear was shed from his eye and it fell to the ground.

And all of the figures jumped at a large banging sound and their heads whiplashed towards the door.

"Hello? Kyubi-san? You in there?" Yelled a rough and gruff voice. And all the figure's heads turned towards each other. If Naruto could see their eyes, they would be wide and in shock.

"I know it's late and cold, but I wanna to talk you, if that's cool and all," said the voice. Naruto was puzzled. It didn't sound at all like one of his neighbors. Who could it be? The dark figure hoisting him up lifted up his left hand and made some odd hand signals. All of the figures got nearby the door, two of them drew out a odd-shaped knife, the other three short swords.

"Kyubi-san? I know your in there hidin', now quit joking and let's get talkin'. Ah shut it Eight-o." the voice said, Naruto wanted to scream at the person and whoever this "Eight-o" was for help!

"What are you doing with my son!" Roared a familiar voice. All of the figure's head turned towards the bedroom and Naruto raised his eyes and his heart roared with relief and joy.

His father was standing there, his hands moving fast.

"_Futon: Daitoppa!" _Naruto felt himself be tossed and slammed into the wall as the figure darted away from some inivisble wind that blew out the kitchen window. He fell down, crining in pain as he tried to move to get a closer a look but he could not. He could hear, but not see.

He heard more yelling this time from the figures as a door was splintered open followed by a "WHEEEEEEEE!". He heard the surprised shouts of his mother and sister and yells from the figures and his father and the unknown man. he heard the sound of metal meeting metal, something hot burned near him, very hot that made him close his eyes and would have yelled if not for the paralysis. He heard his dad yell out in pain and heard a concerned "Darling!" from his mother. He heard her scream...as something whistled through the air. He heard the sound of flesh being torn, and something slammed into the wall above him. As his eyes looked up, he could see one of the figures being pinned to the wall by some poker or sword...

Gutting from his head. There was another great wind and another hot spell in the room followed by a cry of "LARIAT!" and a unrecognizable yell from one of the figures. He heard his mother yell out in pain again and his father yell her name, before he yelled out in pain too. Then Naruto felt someone pull him dragging him away. His eyes moved up.

It was Karui, there was blood on her face and her eyes were wide and scared. She pulled and heaved struggling with his dead weight. Fires cast dark shadows over the room and through the very corner of his eyes saw a body of one of the men, bloodied and definitely dead. Karui took Naruto and held him as they hid in the closet, as more metal and metal rang out, the pained gasps of Arashi evident and the crying moans of agony from Marina outside the door.

"Naruto-kun, Naruto-kun, Naruto-kun, Naruto-kun," muttered Karui as she held onto him tight. If Naruto wasn't bound by the ropes and small wires, he would have returned the gesture.

Then as a painful yell emitted, unrecognizable, there was silence.

"Mess with the butterfly and you get stung where the sun dun shine! Screw the Bee and you get throttled by Kirabi-sama! Ah! Yeah!" Said "Kirabi" in victory outside the closet. Naruto could feel Karui shivering.

"Oh snap! Missy, Sir! You okay!" Said the voice. Naruto could hear a pained gasp.

"Closet...get my children...from the closet..." It was Arashi. His voice was weak.

"Darling..." It was Marina. Her voice was more in pain than weak.

"You sure dawg? You ain't lookin' hot, that's for sho." Said the voice as Naruto heard footsteps stomp over to the closet and he gazed upon the huge form.

"You kids alive and okay? I'd never live with myself if I let a young'un die infront of me, not even for a day." Said the man as he held out his hand towards Naruto and Karui. Karui turned and saw the man. He was olive-skinned like Karui and Marina, had platin blonde hair, wore an odd outfit, and sunglasses and metal headband with an odd inisgina.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Yelled out Karui as she hefted Naruto up into Kirabi's arms and she rushed towards something out of Naruto's view, but she was stopped by his arm as Kirabi used the other to undo the gag around the blonde's mouth and untied to ropes and undid the wires.

"Hey let me go!" Yelled Karui.

"So..you're the Kyubi Jinchuriki huh?" The man gazed at him with an analyzing gaze. Then he turned his eyes back towards the living room, nearly ignoring Karui who struggled in his grip.

"Your mom and dad." Said Kirabi. "Look, it ain't looking nice, your parents have been hurt really bad."

"They're our parents! Let us go!" Naruto would have agreed with his sister, slightly moving his lips as he tried to talk, but only grunts came out.

"Stranger...Let me see my children..." Coughed Arashi's voice.

"Darling...don't-" Marina gave a yell of pain. "Talk...save your strength."

"Marina-chan...It's allright...I just have to see them...safe..." Kirabi had his head turned over the toppled furniture and smelly bodies.

"It won't be pretty. I can guarantee it will traumatize this kiddy. But if that's your last wish, then I won't get in the way of that, fo shizz," Kirabi let go of the redhead and she ran over out of Naruto's sight. As Kirabi helped him up, Naruto could feel his stomach burning, but the moment he laid his eyes on his parents, his blood went cold.

His father had blood over his abdomen, and was slouched against the wall, several of those odd knives and odd bladed circles with edges, like a star, edged into his shoulder, stomach, and arm. His breathing sounded bad, it was light and weak.

Marina was near him, but where her left arm had been there was a bloody stump as she was slumped against the wall, her breathing through her teeth audible as she gave cries of pain. Kirabi wondered just how the woman hadn't gone into shock yet but he kept that to himself as he carried the blond. Naruto could do nothing but gaze, his mouth open and his eyes wide.

Why?

Who and why would anyone do this to them? They shouldn't be hurting.

They were his mommy and daddy. They helped people and loved him and Karui.

Why?

"Naruto...Karui-chan...come closer..." Muttered Arashi, holding his arms out.

"Yo man, save your breath. If you struggle now, you'll skip closer to death," rhymed the dark skinned shinobi. The children paid him no heed and went up to their father, Karui helping Naruto.

And he clasped their cheeks, smiling.

"I...am going away for a while...So I won't be able...to look after you all..." He whispered. Naruto felt more tears come to his eyes, and Karui's sniffles were audible.

"I need you both...to be strong for...for your mother..." Naruto could feel his mouth starting to regain some of it's movement, and his body began to recover as he struggled to find his voice.

"Daddy..." sniffled Karui as she dug into Arashi, grabbing his torn and bloodied shirt. "Don't go! Please! Don't leave us!" She wailed.

"Darling..." Whispered Marina as she gasp in pain as she moved closer to him, blood pouring from where her left arm was. The olive skinned man walked over to him.

"Yo bro, I see you have some shinobi moves. I know a jutsu can stop your wife's bleeding, but it's only a temporary groove. She'll need better treatment at a skilled hospital, and I'll take you all there, on the double," he said. Arashi nodded as he held both of his children's head near his heart.

"Thank you stranger..." Marina struggled closer, her remaining hand reaching out and grasping at her husbands.

As Naruto began to regain his movement, he felt the tears increase in volume, his breathing becoming irratic, his eyes bloodshot and his sniffles loud.

"Ara-kun!" Whimpered Marina as she held tighter and wept louder. Kirabi ran his arm over his sunglasses.

"Karui-chan...Don't talk to strangers and don't make useless dents in other people's walls...and watch Naruto and give him love...support each other...okay?" Wheezed the dark haired man.

"Okay daddy...okay..." Sniffled Karui, grabbing his tattered shirt even tighter. Naruto looked up into Arashi's eyes. His eyes were proud, full of love despite the times prior.

"Naruto-kun...you're going to be the man of the house..." Whispered Arashi, his honest but fading platinum blue eyes with the blonde's bloodshot sky blue ones. "Proect Karui-chan and mama, protect those you hold dear to your heart...okay?" Naruto could not get words out, his nose clogging with snot and his vision becoming blurry. He could hear the cries and shouts of bystanders in the distance but that didn't matter. He nodded through the moans of sadness and pain.

"I love you all...and take care...be strong..." Whispered Arashi as he hugged even tighter than he has ever had.

And Marina started to yell and Naruto heard his arm hit the floor. He didn't let go. He didn't let go.

Even as he threw his head back and _screamed._

"DADDY~!"

* * *

_Unknown Location. Early morning. October 13th._

Shimura Danzo shuffled through some more documents. One was a homeland security report, the others reports on various missions and updates. There was one on a spy network in Taki...One in the rising Otogakure and his old confidant Orochimaru...The assassination of a Kiri representative to Konoha via "bad weather and ship capsize".

And to think, he can accomplish much more when he finally gets his hands on the Kyubi jinchuriki. It made him grin a little, and very few things in this world can have Shimura Danzo have a good day.

He heard the flicker and pop and the _Shunshin no Jutsu._

"Yes?" He heard panting and exhaustion beyond measure. He whirled his chair and found a wounded Root ANBU, his knees and hands on the ground.

It was Gumo.

And Gumo fell onto the ground and Danzo came over to the dying Root nin.

"What happened? What went wrong?" Danzo kept his tone steady but inside he was shocked and surprised. His team had watched and monitored the Kyubi jinchuriki for months! They were professionals in the art of the ninja, Root's finest when it came to missions. They planned ahead for every possible outcome, and had back up plans. And when the back up plans didn't work, there would another back up plan, and another and another.

Which could would lead one factor...An unknown. Something that happened at the right place and right time, but that unknown variable sent it spiraling out of control.

"No Jiraiya...Jinchuriki...Kumo shinobi...Father and mother...mortally wounded..." Gumo spat out blood, his brown hair bloodied through his brown shawl. "...Hebi... careless said Root...Would have reprimanded...Kyubi jinchuriki...still in...Hotsprings...Used chakra pills to escape when I ran low...encountered Oto nin patrol inside Konoha...border...Wounded me...wound...beyond treatment..."

He said two words. The two words Danzo had elimanted from his vocabulary. Because he had _hated_ those words as a child when he teamed with Hiruzen, and as an old and wise man, still hated those two words.

"Mission...failed..."

His head went limp and his body died. Danzo used his good arm to close Gumo's eyes.

He was a good and loyal shinobi.

But now some newbie had to spout off his organization's name while on a mission, he lost six good ANBU, and even worse...

Kumo now have their hands on two of the strongest of Bijuu, and with the the Nibi, it will be up to three jinchuriki, the most any shinobi village has ever had in the history of the shinobi world.

They would become the strongest undisputed military power in the Elemental Nations.

Shimura Danzo was a calm and collected man. He stood up, walked over to grab his cane...

And his grip crunched the handle, shattering it into splinters...

Damn emotion.

Damn compassion.

Damn kindness.

Damn Sarutobi.

Damn Namikaze.

Damn Kazama.

Damn the Kyubi jinchuriki.

Damn Kumo.

"Damn them all." he cursed.

* * *

**This chapter was a bitch to write. One concerning the attack where I had to rewrite it from scratch(twice). Two, school and RL. And three, the popularity of CMM and my duty to Words. With me getting more classes next semester, I'll try to add on as best as I can, but I won't make no promises.**

**Beta'ed by the esteemed and intelligent LD 1449, one of the Naruto fandom's best writers who will be leaving it behind for much greener and greater pastures(that being other fandoms).**


	6. Yondaime Day

**I do not own Naruto. Kishimoto does.**

**Also, since Ryo is equivalent to the Yen, and yen is the equivalent of a penny. So there.**

_October 10th, Konohagakure no Sato. Market District._

"Man, these lines are suck!" Whined Tenten.

"You're making a scene," added Sasuke.

The two children are standing in line to a check out isle inside a clothing store. Sasuke helped the bun-haired girl what sort of dress she may prefer to wear. After picking out a simple blue and white-flower cheongsam, the duo went to the check out isle.

Only to wait back on a line that circled around the store. The two have made up over three-quarters of the line, but the check out desk is still a good ten meters away.

"There was tents out. Clearly people waited overnight," commented the Uchiha.

"Who would want to stay up all night for clothes. This dress only costs about three-thousand yen for crying out loud."

"I saw some clothing that went up to ten, maybe twenty thousand." Tenten rolled her eyes.

"Good grief, anyone who spends that much for a piece of silk and buttons is an idiot."

"Totally."

The line progressed a bit further and the duo walked forward in silence. The rustle and bustle of the store in the background.

"Yo Sasuke."

"Ya?"

"What sort of food do you like?" The dark-haired boy turned towards the brunette.

"Does it matter?"

"Well you are buying this dress for me. Only fair I buy you lunch." Tenten wasn't going to delve on price, as she knows her friend wouldn't break her budget.

"Well…" Sasuke brought a finger to scratch his head as he thought. The line shortened and the duo walked. Sasuke had his eyes closed in thought, arms crossed.

"You're looking like a road-side statue you know," joked the bun-haired girl. Sasuke opened an eye at her.

"Onigiri stuffed with Katsuobushi."

"Fermented and smoked tuna stuffed in rice. Got it." Said the girl. The line shortened again. Two more customers and the duo would be paying for the dress.

"I always had a feeling you liked salty foods. What about deserts, cake or ice cream?" Sasuke frowned a little.

"Too rich. I hate sweets." Tenten giggled.

"So that's why you only had a slice of pie and looked like you were gonna puke back on your birthday."

"Excuse me for being nice," Sasuke felt a pat on the back.

"It's okay. Next July I won't get ya anything sweet. Promise." She gave him a smile of reassurance, and the boy gave her a small grin.

"Okay."

Another step forward along the line.

"You think I'll get detention next week for ditching Suzume-sensei's class?"

"Most likely." The Uchiha turned towards the bun-haired girl. "You worried about it?"

"Only that it will take away time from training. Stupid board." Sasuke's eye rose at the unique vocabulary.

"Board?"

"Isn't that what people call ladies who are idiots? Boards?" Sasuke shook his head.

"It's pronounced 'Broad' I believe." He smirked a little. "I spend at least _some_ investment in my language and caligraphy classes. Let me guess, you ditch them too." Tenten puffed her face and crossed her arms.

"The future Hokage of Konoha has better things to do than go through that crud."

"Like what? Throwing more kunai at dummies?"

"I'm throwing shuriken."

"Technically the same thing. How can you be Hokage," Sasuke beared his playful smirk. "When you can even spell 'Spectacular'."

"Yes I can! S-P-E-K-T-A-C-U-L-E-R. Spectacular." Sasuke sniggered, Tenten didn't look so amused.

"Hey!"

"You are so wrong..." And the girl huffed at the Uchiha.

Up ahead, a heavily disguised Ino could see Sasuke and Bun-for-Brains buy the dress, and her eyes rose! Sasuke was buying the dress!

With his own money!

The platinum blonde, who was donning a very heavy brown coat and a wide pink hat, saw something glint out of the corner of her eye. She looked, at the entrance doors was a make-up mirror held by a small hand.

Ino gave a nod, remembering her and Sakura's strategy.

One. Infiltrate and follow Sasuke-kun and Bun-For-Brains.

Two. Maintain communication with Sakura as Ino shadows the two.

Three. Sakura will wait outside the entrance and will shower Bun-For-Brains from the roof in rotten milk courtesy of taking it from a grocery worker near a garbage bin.

Ino didn't like the idea of milk, but their aim is to drive the two apart, and the stench and taste of rotten milk will surely make Sasuke-kun see the brunette as gross.

They paid for the dress…Ino took a make-up mirror and flashed twice, the signal for 'get ready'.

The duo walked out...as did some couple, she didn't get a good look...

She heard a splash and a howl from a female. A much older one.

Ino then ran through the customers and near towards the entrance and saw an old elderly couple. Turns out the old man got flashed and is still stunned, while the old lady appeared to have fainted.

She looked up at the roof, not seeing Sakura. Ino turned her head right, and saw Sasuke and Bun-For-Brains walking down the street, dress in bag and inspecting some jugglers doing their act with flaming torches and kunai.

And her palm met her face.

'_On to plan B…'_

"Hey Sasuke, what did you think caused those screams back there?" Asked Tenten as she and Sasuke walked down the crowded streets looking for some kind of restaurant.

"Kiba doing his pranks I bet," Tenten shrugged.

"Wouldn't be surprised that doggy-breath would do things like that." The dark haired boy gave a "hmm" in response. Tenten then took a look around at the various restaurant labels.

"Let's see…" She mused. There was a BBQ place, traditional, a noodle place, a sushi place, a café…

"Let's try out the sushi place and see what they got."

"Fair enough." The two walked forward towards the sushi diner and inspected their menu outside the door.

"Tai…Hamachi…Ika…Tako…" sounded off Tenten as she read along the choices on a menu. Sasuke merely shrugged and walked away.

"They don't have it. Let's try out the traditional place," Tenten turned around and jogged to catch up with the Uchiha.

As they walked towards the traditional place set further down the boulevard, Tenten saw something that caught her eye.

Outside the café was Suzume-sensei sitting at a table and across from her was…

"Is that Iruka-sensei?" Pondered the girl out loud. Sasuke stopped next to the bun-haired girl.

"Huh?"

"Look, at the café place," she pointed her finger and Sasuke followed it's lead.

True enough, Suzume and Iruka were at the café sipping something. The scarred sensei seemed to be doing a lot talking, and it looked like he was fascinated. Suzume's face had the shade of a tomato and looked both happy and nervous.

"You think they like-like each other?" Asked Tenten.

"How should I know," responded the dark-haired boy. The two then walked along the boulevard again and towards the traditional restaurant.

"_Now now Taka-chan_," said Kakashi outloud, as he read his book on the rooftops. "_Just follow these stroke movements after me, said Hanako sensei was she swam in the water, using the breast stroke. And the young Takashi got a full glown glimpse of those grand glorious melons as they seemed to be trying to escape from her tight blue one-piece swimsuit."_

Icha Icha Swim Sessions had delivered. The story, a boy named Takashi, needed help swimming. His dad then hired him a swimming tutor named Aoi Hanako, an older women with blonde hair and god tier set of tits. So far, he hasn't gotten to the true sessions yet, but by god does he make good build up.

'_So based on Tsunade,'_ thought the cycloptic sensei. Jiraiya was surely a man of impeccable taste and creativity, and had a knack of creating never ending boners. Praise to him and to his editors for such an amazing piece of literature.

Kakashi's eye then turned from the book and onto the street below, seeing his two targets for surveillance, Uchiha Sasuke and Tamahagane Tenten, walking into a traditional restaurant named _Yamada's_. His one eye scanned the crowd saw another interesting duo he had his eye on.

Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino, the two of them bickering at each other. Kakashi saw the whole thing, with Sakura trying to dump what was apparently rotten milk on Tenten but the bun-haired girl averted catastrophe at the last moment by running towards the jugglers, the Uchiha following after.

And he chuckled when he saw the look on the pinkette's face when she hauled ass off the roof and down to the streets below.

Clearly, there were jealous of Tenten being by Sasuke's side and wanted to sabotage their date and claim the Uchiha for themselves.

Which was funny, because Tenten and Sasuke clearly had no such feelings for each other.

"Oh why can't the real life women be like the ones in books," Kakashi mused. He turned a page. "Especially..." He let loose a chuckle and grinned, if his curled up eye was of any indication. "_These_ books..."

_A half hour later._

"Well that was good," mused Sasuke as he dabbed his lips with a napkin, finishing the Katsuobushi Onigiri meal. Tenten opted for a tempura and rice bowl, and she had finished before him.

"No kidding, nice place they got here." Mused the bun haired girl as she inspected the place. Not too fancy yet not too run down. Manageable and just right. Tenten turned her head towards the Uchiha.

"Wanna get dese-oh yeah that's right…you hate sweets."

"I say we check out more of the festival. It's taking place across the entire village you know," said Sasuke.

"Eh, true, but wouldn't that be boring? The Future-Hokage and her Number Two should train somewhere nice…" Thought Tenten as she brought a finger to her lips in thought.

"Got any ideas?"

"Any place we go the Brigade will follow," sighed the dark haired boy. The two continued to think, Tenten paying the bill.

Then she looked out the window, seeing the Hokage Tower in the distance beyond several buildings and the famous Hokage Monument, the stone faces of the four Hokages of Konohagakure's history looking over it.

And she looked above it…

"That's it!" She said suddenly, causing Sasuke to jump.

"What's it?" She pointed out the window, the Uchiha following her finger.

"On the monument?" Asked the boy incredulously.

"No Duck-butt, on _top_ of the monument." Sasuke's mouth opened with an "Ah", then he stared at her.

"Duck-butt?"

"It's your hair, it looks like a duck's butt."

"Jerk."

"Anyways, it's only fitting that the next Hokage," She grinned a little. "And her Number Two train on top of the monument. After all, I'll have my face up there someday!"

"And what's with you calling me Number Two?"

"Because you'll be like my advisor and stuff." Sasuke shrugged.

"If it means getting into whatever library of jutsus that's up there then being your Number Two guy will be fine, I guess." The Bun haired girl chuckled.

"Besides, we can train everyday when I'm Hokage. And what better way to get stronger than to train with the Hokage?" Sasuke gave a small chuckle and a small smile.

"Well you're not Hokage yet. Let's just train hard and concentrate on becoming Genin few more years down the road," he took a sip form a glass of water. "Deal?"

"Deal."

Several tables away, two occupants siting side by side were peeking out of their huge menus, glaring at the couple and hiding their heads back into the menus.

"That Tenten girl called Sasuke-kun Number Two! _Number! Two!"_ Growled Sakura silently to her companion.

"You ain't the only one mad here billboard brow, but I got it all taken care of," replied Ino.

"And why's that? And besides, why order such a large amount of-" the pinkette caught Ino's gleam in her eye.

"Oh. For Buns-For-Brains." Ino nodded.

"Besides, I'd rather be caught dead than eating such fatty garbage. This is more of that Akimichi's style for eating anyway," The platinum blonde scoffed. "How my dad forces me to get to know that fatty from our class just because their dads were friends is so stupid. I mean, how can daddy be friends with such…fatsos!"

"I know, I heard that if you hang out with fat people, you eat more and become a fat person too."

"My dad is skinny though, so that means the sickness has no effect on him."

"Your mom looked like she may put on a few."

"Another word out of you and I'm shaving your hair and selling it to wig shop forehead."

_Fifteen minutes later._

_" 'Uwah Hanako-sensei…it's so…' said Takashi as he slowly became one with his sensei by the pool side.'Yes Taka-chan…please…eat me like a cake…' replied Hanako-sensei, her breaths and gasps becoming more and more faster paced as Takashi began to lick away at the bud that was her taco_" said Kakashi to himself as he read. The cycloptic jounin was reading the climax of one of _Icha Icha Swimsuit Lesson_ and he must say and do declare.

If it wasn't for him being on a water tower, he would started to commence private fun time. But…Hokage's orders. Shadow the Uchiha and his date.

And thankfully, as a bonus, read this god tier piece of literature as two shinobi-in-training, Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura, try to botch the Uchiha's date out of jealousy.

To be fair, he didn't think that the two girls would be good shinobi, due to them being motivated by a boy to join out of all things.

'_Wait, Yamanaka did join because it runs in the family, so I guess she's exempt,'_ thought Kakashi to himself.

However, one thing he was impressed on was their teamwork and utilizing their environment around them to succeed for a common goal, not unlike how Kakashi works with his fellow jounin on A-Rank missions. And the two girls were dead on rivals on top of that too.

'_Shame they would only work so well is if Sasuke gets getting caught like that Yuta kid in _Icha Icha Monster Girl Kidnappers_ and be a tool for demon girls and becomes a damsel in distress. But that is as most likely to happen if the moon turned into a giant Sharingan and hypnotized the world. Basically, can't happen,'_ he turned another page.

"Art page~," giggled Kakashi as he took in the delicious art that Jiraiya more or less must have commissioned some artist to do, and it depicts-

Several shouts emerged, and his eye wandered.

Outside of the diner, the Yamanaka and Haruno girls were running as if the devil was behind them, and an angry restaurant owner chasing them out. The girls had their heads covered by the large white menus.

And poking out of the door were the two heads of Tenten and Sasuke, confused and bewildered.

Kakashi could only chuckle and shake his head.

"Ah kids these days," said the grey haired man. "Back to the art page~."

_Five hours later. Stairs leading up to the Hokage Monument_

"Yo Sasuke." Asked Tenten as she walked up the stairs to the top of mountain that was the Hokage Monument. Sasuke walked by her side. Hands in pockets.

"Yeah?"

"Talk a strange day huh. I mean, first some old couple got smothered in rotten milk. Then some two midgets scrammed after pulling the sheet at that diner we ate at for lunch having all that clam chowder and soups and fried foods onto some waitress. Then that small plank bridge we crossed shortly got broken-"

"That girl was an Akimichi. Maybe she was too heavy."

"Eh, true, although she didn't look like it." Shrugged Tenten. "Then some water balloons filled with paint got plastered on some genin practicing camoflauge on a brick wall. Then some oddly tall guy in a bulky coat and hat fell on some dog and that guy was carrying a bucket of worms and they got chased away by the dog and it's owner. Does this usually happen on Yondaime Day?"

The Uchiha closed his eyes in thought.

"Maybe?"

"Eh, doesn't matter to me I guess. Maybe Kiba was trying to prank us with some other dude," assumed the bun haired girl. Sasuke didn't give an answer. Soon enough, the duo reached the top of the mountain and took in the surrounding area.

To the left was a large dirt field, more or likely used for as a Training Ground, and in the distance several buildings stood. Tenten ran out to the dirt patch and Sasuke calmly walked after her.

His eyes rose when she started to take off her cheongsam.

"What are you doing?" The bun-haired girl turned her head around to the Uchiha.

"I don't want the dress to get tattered, so I'm going in my undies," She took off the dress, and there Tenten stood wearing some sort of underwear akin to boys boxers.

"Oookay?" Said Sasuke. She stood before him, hands on hips and wearing what seemed like a white mesh…thingy over her chest. She also took off her shoes.

"You're weird you know that," pointed out the Uchiha as he took out some objects in his pockets as well as his jacket and set them next to Tenten's cheongsam.

"Who cares," replied the bun haired girl. She got into a stance. "Let's just spar. It's better than those cheesy festival games."

"Definitely." Sasuke got into a stance too, smiling just a little bit. As he positioned his foot and he-

"You bimbo!" Howled two voices in unison, and the duo turned their heads towards the stairs leading down the path.

Sakura's pink hair was all messy, she looked tired and exhausted, and her green shirt and white shorts were all muddy and messy. She was pointing hard at Tenten.

Ino's hair was also messy and tangly, although her clothes seemed to be in better shape, except for some odd paint stains on her pants. She had her hands on her knees and was panting but still glared at the brunette.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "What are you two doing all the way up here." Tenten cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah you guys seem exhausted. Were you training all day or something?" asked Tenten.

"Shut your trap bimbo, we're here to save Sasuke-kun!" Panted Sakura.

"That's right! You don't deserve to be his date!" Added Ino.

"Oh boy here we go," murmured Sasuke.

"Uh…we are just hanging out for the day and we're gonna train for the rest of the day. I don't see how that's a date," said the brunette.

"Quit the act! We all know you love Sasuke-kun! Every girl at school does! You're just using some sort of method we don't know about! Maybe you're poisoning him or using some sort of super genjutsu!" Accused the pinkette.

"Uh…"

"And then there's your looks!" Sneered Sakura. "you're so bland and ordinary! You do nothing to attract Sasuke-kun's eye!"

"And you act more like a boy than a girl!" Added Ino.

"What Sasuke-kun needs," She clasped her hands and her eyes seemed to gleam. "A loving wife who is beautiful and takes care of his every need, like myself!"

"Don't push it pinky," groaned Ino, who was now sitting on the ground to catch her breath.

"Not some rough houser like you! Besides, rumor has it you flunked some language and calligraphy class! And-"

"I got a 72, nothing THAT bad," pointed out the brunette. Sakura blinked.

"Well regardless! I got a 98! Sasuke-kun clearly will hold intelligence, like what I possess, over some brute of an orphan like you!"

Now _that_ got a reaction out of Tenten, her eyes narrowed at that last comment. It gave Sakura pause.

"Well this _orphan_ can kick both of your butts all the way to Tuesday, besides…" She growled. "Sasuke isn't the least of all interested in either you or blondie there. So why don't you make like a tree and leave."

"A tree and leave? What does that mean!" said a confused Ino.

Sakura felt intimidated at first under the bun haired girl's gaze but she regained her courage. "Yeah right! Words won't make me back down! Make me leave, because I'll never leave Sasuke-"

"Sakura…Ino..." For now, Sasuke has been quiet, ever since the pink haired girl had said 'orphan' to Tenten, his black hair covering his eyes. Sakura's personality seemed to have done a one-eighty, going from attack dog to loving puppy. Ino had a similar reaction.

"Yes Sasuke-kun?" both of them said in unision.

And the Uchiha glared at the Haruno, his black eyes staring hard with hate at the now shocked green ones. Ino flinched.

"_Leave."_

Sakura seemed to be paralyzed underneath her crush's gaze and she took a step back. Ino seemed to have gotten the message as well and did so as well when she stood up and was silent. Sakura felt water sting her eyes.

"B-But Sasuke-kun I-"

"Get lost, you ugly cow!" Barked the Uchiha, all of the girls flinching of how high his voice had gotten. Silenced ruled over the dirt field for a moment…

And then Sakura fled down the stairs, balling her eyes out. Ino looked down at Sakura, and then at Sasuke.

"Well!" He yelled, glaring into her.

And without a word, Ino followed her crying companion down the stairs, not giving the duo a spare glance, lest she be lashed at by the object of her affection.

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting out his anger, and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked back into the bun haired girl, who seemed concerned.

"You didn't need to do that…for me…"

"They had no right to say that Tenten. They can never understand," Sasuke closed his eyes. "What you…"

"I know…but I-"

"Tenten no one should such things!" Said Sasuke staring into Tenten's chocolate orbs. "Because you are no brute as they say." He calmed down, and gave the girl a small smile. "Because there's no way the next Hokage can be a brute anyway." Tenten giggled and smiled.

"Well…thanks for sticking up for me. If anyone says bad things about you," she placed her fist over her chest. "I'll give them a good lashing." She held out her right hand, index and middle finger out. "I promise ya that."

Sasuke gave a chuckle. "A 'got my back, got your back' huh?" He reached out, and his fingers clasped around Tenten's. "I think that deal can work."

And the Seal of Harmony became interlocked.

"So, about that spar?" Said Tenten with an amused look. Sasuke returned it back.

"Let's get to it then." The two of them stepped back.

"Hey Duck butt."

"Hmm."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He answered as she stood and took up her stance. "Ever."

_Several hours later_

Kakashi watched from the top of the Konoha archives the two duel each other with Taijutsu on the dirt field. Both young children scored some decent good hits, but were courteous enough to avoid dirty blows and to wait until they got back up.

He was surprised to say the least when Tenten stripped, and then along came the Fangirl Brigade girls who started chew out the semi-naked shinobi-in-training for some reason. Then Sasuke shut them up and sent Sakura crying to her momma.

And in other news, as the fireworks over Konohagakure exploded, Kakashi closed his book, having finished the volume and taking in the sight of the two children as they continued to spar, even as the night sky lit up with bright colors.

'_You watching this sensei? This is our future, the future you sacrificed for and_…' His Sharingan focuses in on the two, seeing how much fun the two children were having.

'_It looks very bright. Much like how the Will of Fire burns in us all_…'

Sarutobi Hiruzen had similar thoughts to Kakashi as he continued to stare into his crystal ball, a smile on his face as the two children were now lying on the ground, flat on their back and gazing out to the bright night sky. The old Hokage could hear the thunderous loud booms of the fireworks and the cheers of the villagers.

All of sudden, he heard a crack of glass, and his eyes snapped up in alert towards where the source of the sound might be at.

On a nearby table was several picture frames. Some of his family, his wife, his relatives, and some his students, and his student's students.

He stood up and walked over to inspect what caused the crack and his eyes rose as he looked down.

Upon the picture frame of Jiraiya and his pupils, there was a crack on the glass covering.

Right over where Kazama Arashi, staring to the side of the photo shot next to his teammate and a smiling Namikaze Minato.

He frowned thinly.

He was not a supersticious man. But even he would call that an ill omen.

_'I'd better contact Jiraiya. Just to be safe._

**Sorry for the long wait. School and what not, plus Gears 3 and Arkham City. Plus my other works. So Tenten and Sasuke go to the festival and have some fun, Sakura and Ino get maximum jelly, and Kakashi reads porn.**

**hope you all enjoyed!**

**Beta'ed by LD 1449**


	7. Silence is Fools Gold and Pure Silver

**I do not own Naruto. That honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, who I really want to see run over by a Destruction Derby Oil Truck driven by homicidal monkeys.**

**Old dieties of destruction having NAMES. Bullshit I say.**

_Wilderness in the Land of Frost. October 11._

It was mid-day and Kirabi was starting to feel annoyed. Not because of that he was carrying a wounded older woman in his arms or that her daughter is riding piggy-back by wrapping her arms around his neck, nor was it the strain on his chakra for maintaining his clone carrying the blonde a few paces behind him as he hopped from branch to branch in the wilderness, neither was it the biting cold and dull overcast skies overhead.

It was the silence.

B liked to talk, he wanted to speak up, to talk with and talk to. He was a social animal.

But ever since he left Tokimine with the traumatized family into the night, he didn't know what else to expect but to remain silent.

The father was clearly a goner, and the mother had lost her arm and quite a bit of blood. Thankfully, Kirabi knew a thing or two about making a tourniquet. He'd stopped the bloodflow but the limb...He'd cut it off when the infection had started to set in from her injury. He just hoped his hesitation to do so hadn't let it sit long enough to get into the woman's blood stream.

Then the idea that there may be more bandits roving about the apartment complex popped up thanks to the Hachibi, and if they knew where the family lived who's to say they wouldn't come back or have specific places around Tokimine locked down, like the hospital or elsewhere in secret. The bandits were most likely Nuke Nin of some sort given how they used jutsu against the Jinchuriki.

But who? Who would want this family dead? It didn't make any sense.

**"When you think about B, it DOES make sense,"** said the Hachibi inside Kirabi's mind. "**The blonde kid is no doubt the Kyubi Jinchuriki. Those bandits came for the kid and to leave no witnesses."**

'_Who do you think could want that? Because the shit that went down was totally wack,'_ replied the dark-skinned man as he continued to hop along the treetops, his clone carrying the blonde in question behind him.

**"I remember our meetings back with your brother and the higher ups back at the village. Remember how it was Konoha's Yondaime who supposedly **_**killed**_ **the demon? Well, I always doubted that the man could kill the strongest of the Bijuu, and I was right."**

_'So what you're sayin' is…'_

**"The Yondaime was a master of seals, and must have used some kind of sealing jutsu to seal the Kyubi into a child. The Kyubi was '**_**killed'**_ **eight years ago. The kid doesn't look a day older than eight. And if you take a closer look…"** Kirabi turned his head a little and slowed down a little, allowing his silent clone to catch up.

In the clone's arms was a very silent Naruto, his heaad lolling as exhaustion had taken its toll on the boy, pulling him from the conscious world.

And he looked so similar to Namikaze Minato, the man that took on both Kirabi and Kiraei and lived, that it was scary.

**"Yes. The boy looks like the Yondaime, and it makes sense that he would sacrifice his son."**

'_Da Fuck Eighto, why such a low blow? A family man would never throw his family to the wolves, it doesn't mesh, mix, he'd always endure.' _Kirabi replied mentally with a scowl on his face.

**"You think Kumo cared that you, some no-name runt, would sacrifice yourself to become my Jinchuriki? The Raikage permitted it because the moment he donned the hat, he would protect the village no matter the cost. You can be sure the same went for the Hokage. This world is cruel, and if the Kyubi Jinchuriki lived out in Hotsprings instead of in Fire then the Yondaime Hokage at least had it in him to want his son to avoid the life of a shinobi."**

_'But the life of the shinobi came to him, and it looks like it's only gonna get more grim.'_

"**There's nothing we can do it about it now. It's in the past we have to focus on the present, such as getting Marina to Kumogakure,"** Kirabi looked down at the woman in his arms, who's breathing was faint and weak.

'_The infection's starting to spread, we gotta pick up the pace or she'll end up dead.'_

**"Obviously." **Said the demon ox. "**You should have taken those medical jutsu classes. Ei said they might have come in handy."**

Kirabi didn't bother retorting with his tenant. He had to pick up the pace, he was only at the eastern border of the Frost Country, then he'd be home free in the Lightning Country and just following the highway to the village and-

"Mister…" Chimed the girl riding on his back. Kirabi looked over with his head.

"What's up missy?"

"Why…" She whimpered, her lip quivering. "I…Can I ask you several things?"

"Little lady, there's no such thing as a stupid question, so lay down your confession."

"Why…" She shivered, holding tighter against Kirabi's back. "Why are you helping us?"

Kirabi quirked his eyes. "Well…for one there's no way I'll leave a little lady like you and your momma to fend for yourself right? If I just left ya'll high and dry how can I face myself in the mirror at night?"

"Oh…I see…" Karui remained quiet as Kirabi and the clone hopped across a road and Kirabi's eyes caught a sign.

_Leaving Frost Country. Entering Lightning Country._

_'Bingo.'_

"Hey Mister?"

"Hmm?"

"Is mommy sick?" She asked hesitantly.

"Well your momma…" Kirabi paused, looking down at the breathing woman in his arms, her eyes closed and her breathing heavy and strained. If he would use a hand he could check her head, but in his arms he can tell she's warming up in the bad way. He turned his head and gave the girl a confident grin, his eyes closed behind his black shades. "Will be fine by tonight or tomorrow! Once I get you all to a rocking hospital, you'll have no more sorrow!"

**"Oh for god's sake she's a kid who lost her father and may lose her mother if we don't haul ass. Quit the rhymes."** Toned the Hachibi inside his head. The Jinchuriki paid him no mind.

"So this hospital we are going to has no bad guys out to hurt us?"

"Absolutely not. It's a medic nin's creed to have a soft spot!"

"But what about Naruto," said Karui as she turned her head towards the sleeping boy. Even when her golden eyes met his dull blue ones, Kirabi could feel her tighten her lock around his neck. "He didn't say a word after we left home…Why isn't he talking?"

Kirabi knows the answer. He has served as a jounin for over twelve years and has seen similar situations occur to genin or even chunin. The shock, the despair, the dread, the sadness. All of it when losing a fear family figure, and the pain is only worse when that loved one happens to die in your arms. It overwhelmed the young boy, and Kirabi knows the answer…

But he can't bring himself to talk. Not in front of her, and as his eyes traveled down, a now partly awake Marina, still breathing struggling to breathe right..

So he answered the only way he could tell to a child, even though she'll want more of an answer, he can't bring himself to ruin her world any further. Even he hated the answer, but his gut and his heart overruled his head.

Silence.

-X-

_That night outside of Kumogakure no Sato in Lightning Country_

Marina was pale as a ghost, and her breathing was getting worse ever since Kirabi started the long climb up Inazuma Plateau, the endless puckering of Karui to hurry isn't helping.

"Are we there yet Mister? Mommy doesn't look good" Whined Karui. The red-haired woman's eyes were rolling, disoriented and confused. Kirabi brought his eyes to her limb which looked discolored at this point.

"Almost there…" He said. He could just barely see the skyscraper on top of the Raikage Tower… Pushing what little of _his _own chakra he has left in the tank, he and his clone bounded over a large hill…

And the village was in plain sight. The village is located in a range of tall mountains, many building and dwelling built into them. On some mountains were wide enough to host large fields and small forests. And the clouds peaked ontop of the mountains and into the bridges and boulevards that connected the mountains together, and at the bottom there was more dwellings and a river that ran. In the center of the village was mountain that overshadowed the rest, on top of the great landmark a blue round and tall tower. At the tower's top was a dashing of wildlife, like a small garden or forest and on top of that was another small rocky mountain which had a spire and a small building on top.

The Raikage Tower.

"We're here, no need to fear!" Cheered Kirabi as adrenaline filled him. He can save these kids and their mother! He can see the hospital on one of the mountains close by! What luck!

"Mommy…" Said a weak voice, causing Karui and Kirabi to turn their heads, a now awake and alert Naruto turning towards his injured mother. When he saw her ashen face, the boy looked like he was about to be sick. "Mommy!"

"Hang in there kiddo! You're momma is gonna go to the doctor's yo!" Said Kirabi as he and his clone leapt over the village gate, seeing some surprised chunin on patrol duty looking up.

"Kirabi-sama!"

"What's he doing here!"

"Sorry! Ain't got time for talkin'. Got a hot momma to save and a walk to be walkin'!"

"A talk with what?" Asked Karui out of curiosity. Kirabi only gulped as he stared at the tower.

"A talk with him…"

"Mommy! Mommy!" Yelled a very thirsty and tired Naruto as he tried to wrestle his way out of the clones grip as they landed on a building and started to hop across the roof-tops towards a white and blue building created in a mountain face.

"N-Na-Naru…chan…" Breathed Marina weakly. Kirabi focused hard at the hospital and did his best to mask his fatigue.

'_Hang in there Marina, you'll be finer than a-'_

**"Just shut your rhyming and focus on saving her you twit," **growled the Hachibi.

-X-

_Raikage Tower_

"Raikage-sama! Raikage-sama!" Yelled an urgent male voice. Kiraei sighed as he looked up from his paperwork to the door, bulging with knocking.

The Yondaime Raikage, Kiraei, is an imposing man of imposing stature. He is dark-skinned man with a large muscular build, with his white hair combed back, a small moustache and goatee on his face. His face is very distinguished with pronounced cheekbones and tear troughs under his eyes, and a prominent crease across his forehead. His Kage haori was undone, revealing his sheer muscled chest for all to see, and on the pythons of his arms where two black Fuma shuriken tatoos. Around his waist donned a gold belt with the engraving of a boar's face in the center.

"What is it," he sighed. '_I really need to hire a secretary…'_ The door opened and a blonde light-skinned chunin came into the chamber.

"Raikage-sama forgive my intrusion but it's your brother and-" Kiraei held up his hand, stopping the young man from speaking as the Raikage leaned back, his face now a scowl.

"What has he done now?" He growled. He knows very well of Kirabi's little 'Rap' gigs around the village, and the hatedom he's acquired for his rather terrible lyrics went far and wide. Of course many of the village regard B as a hero for never leaving Kiraei's side when fighting the famous Yellow Flash of Konoha, Namikaze Minato.

But he still annoyed the hell out of the villagers, wanting to impress them with his hip hop. And then there was the floozing in the red light district, the growing tabs at the bars…

"Well you see he's at the hospital and-"

"Good." Said Ei. He set down his hat on his desk and stood up, his tall imposing stature dwarfing the teenage chunin. He walked up to the wall, and with a yell and a punch, burst through and it hopped out into the village below.

"Biiiii!" He roared as he flew down. The blonde chunin poked his head out of the large hole in the wall with a shocked expression. He turned around…

And found four more similar patched up holes around his office, usually leading out to the hallway.

"Why doesn't he just use a door…"

-X-

_Kumogakure General Hospital_

Kirabi landed in front of the hospital door with a staggering finish. Then he kicked the door down, gaining the surprised looks of everyone in the lobby as his clone joined him.

"Yo yo yo! I gotta a momma dying here! So quit your gawking and get yo asses in gear!" He yelled. The nurses have brought a gurney and helped take the more pale and weaker Marina. As the nurses and doctors chatter endlessly, B set down the children and dispelled his clone. When he saw Naruto try to follow the retreating medical staff with his mother, B put a hand on his shoulder.

"All you in and your sister need to do now is wait. Your momma will be take care of, let's hold on for an update," he said looking down at the two children.

"**That rhyme was bad and you should feel bad,"** said the Hachibi. Kirabi ignored him.

"But…mommy looked sick…and she lost her arm and her arm looked all gross and-"

A nurse appeared suddenly, the two children quieting as she leaned down with a smile. "Hey, come on you two, how bout we get you something to drink eh?"

They look scared, almost confused. They looked to him and B nodded, smiling as wide as he could. "Go on. No need to fear, just yell for B and I'll be right there."

Hesitating, they left, the nurse ushering the two away and B watched them go, his smile dropping a bit.

Then an all to familiar chill crawled down his spine.

**"You're boned B,"** snarked the Demon Ox.

"B! You idiot!" Roared an all too familiar voice.

In a moment, B was pinned against the wall with both hands on his shoulders, and he saw the bared teethed glare of his adoptive brother and friend, the Raikage Kiraei.

"Oh. Hey Ei. Whats shaking-" Before the Jinchuriki could finish his rhyme he was pulled then pushed into the wall harder.

"Don't you 'Hey' me B! I gave a direct order to 'stay inside the village'. You could have gone anywhere you liked, whether it to be to shag from tramp or even spit your shitty rhymes I don't care! So long as you stayed!" He slammed B against the wall with each phrase. "Inside! The! Village!"

"But brotha I-" He was then hoisted up in the air then thrown across the hospital floor, and Kiraei slammed down on his side with a flying elbow drop. "Yeow!"

"Don't you 'But' me!" Snarled the Raikage as he got his arms and legs in position for a rear naked choke. "You're this village's jinchuriki! And you go off to who knows where! Who knows what could have happened to ya you dumbass!"

Kirabi was flailing under Kiraei's submission move, and was losing oxygen. "B-Brotha…."

"What!" He yelled. At this point all of the lobby bystanders have steered clear of the one-sided feud.

"Niner….Niner…" He pointed down the hallway. Kiraei looked at what his brother was trying to point out, finding nothing but an empty hallway.

Deciding that oxygen to B's brain would be important to him getting answers, he let the Jinchuuriki go.

"What the hell happened B" Demanded Kiraei. Kirabi stood up rubbed his neck a little as he walked over.

"Well, when I was down south on my spree, I found this family ya see. They were in a bad way so I saved them that day." Then, looking around and leaning closer he whispered in his brothers ear.

"And Naruto, the boy is the Kyubi Jinchuriki, fo shizzle."

The Raikage's head darted to his brother, his face written in disbelief. "Is this some sort of joke B?"

"I ain't joking bro, he's the real deal. Just ask Eighto. I can switch with him and he can talk with ya if you want to," said the Hachibi Jinchuriki. Kiraei had a raised eyebrow. For Kirabi, the most laidback man he's ever known, say this…

"Forget it, We'll talk later first, I wanna see this kid."

"I'm telling ya its the real deal brotha."

"We'll see..." Was his only answer and he took Kirabi by the arm and dragged him out of the hole in the wall he made.

Shaking B free of the dust and debris he dusted the Jinchuuriki off. "I take a look, then we let the staff take care of them for now. Then we get away from all the ears."

It was minutes later that the two began making their way out of the hospital.

"Is he the real deal?" Asked Kiraei sharply, he'd seen the boy through the waiting room window, blond hair, six whisker marks. The nurse had been keeping him and his sister company. Coloring books and useless toys around them as she only half succeeded in getting them enthused enough to forget about their mother's injuries.

**"Yes."** Replied Kirabi, his voice lower and in a different tone, as if he was possessed. "**I can feel the fox's chakra however slim it maybe. Trust me Raikage, He is the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Yoko, more or less sealed by Konoha's Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato. At least that's my theory though."**

Kiraei took a breath. The strongest bijuu? Here? How? Where? How did his idiot brother manage to acquire the Kyubi Jinchuriki? Wasn't he only just going out on a simple rapping trip to some town down south?

So many questions, but the Raikage knew he couldn't ask them here. Not with prying eyes. With a wave of his hand, a Kumo ANBU _Shunshin_'d right behind him.

"Sir."

"First, tell my secretary to clear my schedule for the entire week and-"

"Uh bro, you don't have a hot secretary for yo," Kiraei flicked his brother's ear, noticing he returned back to normal. Kiraei looked down into the street and saw a dark skinned girl with silver hair about age nineteen walking with some girlfriends. She looked to be a chunin on break.

"Hey you!" Roared Kiraei, the young woman turned and looked up, surprised at her village's leader calling out to her.

"Uh...yes Raikage-sama?"

"What's your name chunin!"

"Ma-" Stuttered the teenager nervously. "Mabui..."

"Want an easy job with B-rank pay?"

"Um..."

"You're hired!" He nodded and another ANBU came to Mabui's side, surprising the young woman. "Escort her to the tower and make her an office."

"Yes sir." Mabui, to her misfortune was now being carried bridal style away from her rather surprised girlfriends and bickering for the shinobi to put her down. Kiraei turned back towards the ANBU who came first, waiting silently and patiently.

"Now then. Have that girl clear my schedule for the entire flippin' week, gather the Assembly at the Raikage Tower, call Nii Yugito from whatever she's doing and I wanted a runner to the Lightning Daimyo yesterday. It's urgent and it is an S-Class Secret," he whispered into another ANBU's ear.

"Raikage-sama," Before the shinobi could vanish, Kiraei held up his hand to stop him.

"And grab a child shrink and have them examine the Kazama kids. If what I think went down went down, they'll need one." The ANBU nodded and disappeared. He turned towards his brother, scowl on his face and his tone low.

"You're explaining every single minute detail of your little trip when we get to the Tower. Do I make myself clear?" B didn't need to rap to answer.

He simply nodded.

Then again, silence can make a fine answer indeed.

* * *

**FINALLY FUCK**

**After so much schoolwork, distractions, procrastination, vidya games(Dragons Dogma and League of Legends), I finally update.**

**I'm sure many of you can get a general gist of whats gonna happen to our favorite blonde next. Will Marina survive? Who knows.**

**Also fun fact: Yugito is 29 by the time of her death. So all of you NaruYugi fans are out of luck. This means currently she's 23 and that's just creepy for a 9 year old. I got another girl in mind for Naruto in the future so do not fret. You may like the choice...**

**Big thanks to LD 1449 for beta and sounding idea board. The man is a lifesaver and a true bro**

**Coby's Magical Misadventure, my Fairy Tail/One Piece cross, is next.**


	8. Drifting into the Clouds

**I do not own Naruto. That honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Seriously, this manga is a train wreck. Madara and Obito(who we all saw coming a mile away) are the most pathetic villains I've seen in fiction. Shit, even NARAKU and AIZEN are better. One Piece villains even blow them out of the water, because if you have villains who have shoddy pasts and are "sympathetic" and doing something for a "greater" good then it gets old and repetitive and shit. Give me a villain who does it for the lulz(like One Piece) or fallen Hero-Villain done to PERFECTION(Griffith from Berserk).**

**/rant**

_October 12th Land of Frost_

Jiraiya hopped along the tree tops, having one eye on the trees in front of him, and another in his written outline. As he breathed lightly, steam came out due to the cold crisp air.

Not just a day after Yondaime Day ended did the Sannin get a message from his sensei for a "private" talk delivered courtesy of an ANBU. Thank the gods the ANBU knew stealth otherwise he would have been found out in his favorite peeping spot.

'_I gotta brush up on my stealth,'_ thought the white haired man. '_If an ANBU was able to catch me like that, I could have been killed.'_ Then again, perhaps Sarutobi told the ANBU where his hiding spots were. That made a little more sense.

After leaving undetected and making it back to the Hokage Tower he had a long talk with the Sandaime, normally they would have small talk but the look on Sarutobi's face proved otherwise.

The old man wanted Jiraiya to check up on the Kazamas again, just to be on the safe side. Jiraiya assured that they would be fine and have faith, but the old man's face quitted the Sannin.

On the horizon, he could see the outline of Tokimine Town on the horizon. He spotted the ground and with a leap, landed softly and walked carefully into town. Sarutobi wanted him to be on guard, and on guard he'll be.

After entering into downtown, he noticed people go about business as usual, so nothing seemed to have happened-

"Did hear about the incident earlier?" Asked a man talking as he was fixing a roof up above Jiraiya's vision. He slowed down to eavesdrop.

"Yeah. Didn't that happen over in the residential district?"

"Yep. Lots of bodies, but they had no tongues, as if they were burnt out."

Incident. Bodies. Burnt out tongues. Jiraiya _Shunshin_'ed out of the street and started to hop along the roof tops and towards the apartment complex that was home to the Kazama family.

It can't be right? There's no way they could have been targeted.

He reached the complex and looked around and saw a yellow tape, and only a few investigators.

And they were standing right outside the destroyed door that was the door leading to Arashi's apartment.

"Hey!" He yelled out, jogging up to the detectives. "What happened here!"

"Easy buddy," said an old detective around the Sannin's age. "Haven't you read the news or something? An assault-"

"I know about it!" Growled Jiraiya, feeling anger rise within him. Something happened to Arashi, to Marina, to Karui…

To Naruto. He wanted to know what. Now.

"What the hell happened! Who died here!"

"Pipe down gramps," the other investigator, younger man in black hair and heavy clothes. "You know the residents of this apartment?"

"Then why would I be asking! I-"

"You'll need to check in with the station sir, I'm sure they can fill you in, or you could read the newspaper to get the run down."

"That's right," said the old man. "You wanna know the details huh? Too bad." Jiraiya rolled his eyes.

'_Fuck this,'_ he thought as his hands turned to a blur and he exerted his chakra, forming a genjutsu on the two detectives.

"Talk." Demanded Jiraiya.

"Do you want me to take ya from the top or you want to know about the identified bodies?" Said the older detective, eye's glassed over, along with his younger partner.

"From the top," asked a stern faced Jiraiya. The old detective nodded.

"We are assuming started early in the morning on October 11th, like, late at night around 1:30 A.M. Neighbors heard a disturbance of what seemed like a fight, and then it got worse when they heard screams. Naturally, they called for police after hearing some screams. By around 2:00, there were several bodies, all slain and wearing civilian clothing. Possibly a random gang attack"

"We inspected them as well as the other body, and the assailants," said the younger detective, speaking as if he was in a trance. "Had their tongues burnt out somehow, fresh too."

"What about the other body?" Asked Jiraiya. "Was their others?"

"No." They both replied in tandem. "Only one."

"Who?"

"We identified him as Kazama Arashi..."

Jiraiya felt his heart sank as he walked past the two detectives, who were still standing and staring out into space. As he walked into the apartment he noticed the damage.

Slashes, craters, destroyed furniture, floors gashed. Carnage.

The thought that a happy family of four was dining with him on Naruto's birthday made the Sannin's stomach feel like ice.

Yet it was a familiar feeling. He has seen similar carnage before, mainly during the Third Shinobi World War.

After all, through the carnage he managed to find Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan after all.

He simply walked past the now asleep detectives, and hopped to the roof tops towards the police station. After several minutes, he used a stealth ninjutsu to move through the walls, and in several minutes, he was in the morgue. He was lucky, there was no one around.

As the Sannin turned his head he saw the bodies on large steel tables, covered by white sheets. Walking over, he inspected each and every one.

The first several bodies were clearly male, young as well, around their late twenties to low thirties. And he set his eyes towards the last covered body.

He grit his teeth as his heart beat faster, his blood becoming colder. He already has seen the dead faces of two students already…

As he lifted it, he saw Arashi's face. And he put the shawl back on, biting his tongue to hold back the tears.

Then, as he turned around, he remembered what the detectives said.

The only one identified was Arashi. Yet Marina, Karui, and Naruto were missing. Their bodies were not here.

He gave Arashi another look. "At least you're with Minato again. Tell him I said hi." He said sadly. His name will be going up on the Memorial Stone, retired ninja or not.

He successfully succeeded in leaving the hospital undetected, no one the wiser and leapt to the roof tops.

After some jumping, Jiraiya landed under a water tower, and sat down and open up his thinking cap.

Arashi, while retired, would have easily handled a band of ruffians with ease. Whoever this gang was, they may have been ninja, or was led by a competent one at the least.

Yet why were Marina, Karui, and Naruto gone? Did they flee? No, they would have stayed and would be mourning Arashi's passing, or maybe even head south to Konoha.

He stood up and saw a hotel and jumped over the roof tops and landed into an alley and walked onto the street. He walked past the crowd and into the inn, and in a half hour he was inside a typical motel room.

The Sannin went over to his window and opened it wide and sat back on the edge of bed and his hands blurred, and in an moment smoke exited the window. Lots and lots of smoke.

At his feet, Jiraiya summoned over forty toads, all small and used for spying.

"What's up boss?" Asked one of the toads, paw raised.

"I need you all to comb the town and gather intelligence. Listen from everyone around town. In houses, bars, the red light district, the market, the police station, the scene of the crime at that apartment complex, everywhere. Someone somewhere is talking."

"About what?" Asked one of the toads.

"Only listen in for a missing woman and her children." Jiraiya pointed out the window. "Now scram."

All of the toads looked at each other, than began hop…

Towards the bathroom.

"W-Wait not there!"

-X-

_Five hours later_

Jiraiya took another sip of sake as he looked sour sitting in his room. He didn't anticipate all of his toads to lock the bathroom door and go into the toilet and bath drain. Then again, they were slimy and were able to squeeze into the tightest of places, so the drains where no problem for the summons.

He wasn't drinking due to the potential flooding of his bathroom and the expenses that may follow.

It was the lack of news, any news.

Every minute that goes by without a word of "Kazama" or anything describing the family, another minute of the possibility that they could be captured by some gang or worse.

He took another sip and took a sigh. All of his students…dead…

At least with Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan, he was only teaching them how to survive during harsh times. Yet, he knew Arashi and Minato personally. He got to know their wives, and their children…

And now this happens…

Jiraiya stood up, taking another sip of the alchohol and began to pace towards the door, then back towards the window. Then back to the door, back to the window.

Door. Window.

Door. Window.

He heard the sound of something wet in the bathroom and turned his head and went over and opened the bathroom door, and saw a toad sitting on the rim of the tub.

"Well?" Asked the white haired hermit.

"Heard talk from a hobo. Claimed to have seen something hop over the rooftops. Something large and not human sized, followed by something human sized."

"And this is relevant why?"

"Because he mentioned something of whimpering, like from a kid."

Jiraiya felt goosebumps and ice course through his veins. He turned towards the toilet and saw another toad hop out.

"Stopped by a guard station," said the toad, it's tone feminine. "They saw people hopping in the trees…and it looked like they were carrying people."

"Where?" Jiraiya asked, his voice becoming demanding. Could they have been kidnapped?

"It's at the northeast part of town." Jiraiya whipped out a scroll, bit his thump and wiped blood on the scroll's unveiled contents. Another poof of smoke, and chocolate candy bars littered the floor.

"Thanks!" Jiraiya went to the window sill and hopped out into the roof tops.

As he whizzed through the roof tops and water towers and power lines, his mind, although buzzed by the sake, was in overdrive.

Two figures, whimpering, carrying people, northeast. His head traveled and saw a wagon in the street being pulled by several donkeys.

The large box-like wagon had a cloud-like insignia and Jiraiya's heart plummeted.

"Kumogakure…" He whispered outloud…

His hand darted into his pocket, grabbing a food pill, inserting it into his mouth and swallowing it whole. He felt the surge of chakra and he channeled it into his legs and flew through the air, a long leap.

His face was set in stone as he narrowed his eyes towards the darkening east.

Minato saved Uzumaki Kushina from Kumogakure's clutchs. He saved her.

Minato in his prime as the Yondaime Hokage managed to fight off both the son of the Sandaime Raikage as well as Kumogakure's Jinchuriki: the Hachibi. From what his spy network has told him, that same son is now the current Raikage.

Minato isn't here…Jiraiya growled and continued to jump faster as he flew into the forest towards the Land of Lightning.

"Hang on…I'm coming!"

-X-

_October 12th Kumogakure no Sato_

Naruto poked at his breakfast of oatmeal. Looking across the table, Karui was merely sipping from orange juice, a vacant look in her eyes.

To their side, a smiling lady with chocolate skin and blonde hair was sitting across from them.

"So how's breakfast?" She asked, cooing.

"Fine." They both replied.

"Wanna play with any more toys?" The woman asked.

"No thanks." Replied Karui. Naruto said nothing.

Mommy hasn't been seen yet. Where is she? Aren't doctors supposed to be great at repairing owies?

The gross looking arm, or what was left of it…her pale white face…

Naruto started to eat his oatmeal, slowly but surely, eyes looking past the table.

This all was not good…not good at all…

And judging by Karui's desposition, she and him were in total agreement.

-X-

The Assembly located in the center of the Raikage Tower was quite a sight to behold. The room was circular, with the faces of each Raikage past and present adorning the wall. The Shodaime Raikage, the founder, was on the eastern wall. The Nidaime on the northern wall. Sandiame south, and Yondaime west. A large circular table with a finely tailored rug adorning the floor, patterns yellow, blue and black.

And Ei sat under his painting, arms crossed as he heard the door open into the Assembly chamber, and the people who walked in. He took note of them all: several shinobi, a scant few in service and some retired. Civilian politicians voted into places of authority. Though the most easily noticeable one was the Mouth of the Daimyo, a messenger who delivers and sends messages from the Lightning Daimyo. Even though technically he was a politician, he was more or less a glorified mailman.

Behind Ei was Kirabi and Nii Yugito standing at attention. He heard a grunt from B. Probably a bop upside the head from Yugito to either writing something or doing something stupid, licking picking his nose. It sounds like something B would do.

Ei opened his eyes.

"I trust I did not take you away from any important business, but this is an urgent matter that has occurred over the last several hours ladies and gentlemen," said the Raikage, sitting up straight and fixing his hat. The Assembly sat in their seats and had their full attention on the Raikage.

"If I may ask Raikage-sama," asked the Head Judge, the head honcho of all things legal within Lightning Country, an old man with wrinkled dark skin. "What is the matter? We were all told that this was top secret."

"I am getting to that." Said Ei as he clasped his hands in front of him and leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Ladies and gentlemen…" He took a deep breath. "The Kyubi Jinchruki was arrived in the village."

The Treasurer, who was sipping some coffee, spat it out onto the rug in shock. He heard giggling from B, only for a small 'bap' and a grunt. The treasurer coughed and turned towards the Raikage, eyes in disbelief. Ei rolled his eyes. There goes another several thousand Ryou to the best tailor in Lightning Country to make another one…that stain is not leaving.

"What?! B-But the Kyubi no Yoko was destroyed by Konoha eight years ago! Didn't the Yondaime Hokage sacrifice his life to kill it!"

"I must say," said the Mouth of the Daimyo. "This is…surprising."

"They must sealed it!" Growled the Chief of Arms, a retired jounin who has been around since the Nidaime's reign. Before the Chief was going to go on a tirade, Ei raised his hand to silence him.

"I know you all are curious as to how I was able to find out by the Kyubi Jinchuriki. Well, it was thanks to Kirabi."

"Did he subdue him? It's uncommon for Konoha to brainwash children at a young age to their bidding." Asked Foreign Affairs Minister.

"Well you see-" Kirabi tried to say something, but his mouth was covered by Yugito, glaring at the taller Jinchuriki.

'_Thank you Yugito…'_ sighed the Raikage as he turned towards the Minister.

"Allow me to explain. B managed to leave the village, _again,_" He moved his eyes in contempt at the Hachibi. "And went to Snow Country for a vacation."

He saw several of the civilians roll their eyes and the few jounin there chuckle. B's antics were well known among the acting shinobi force, and had a divided camp of popularity. He was either hated for his shitty rhyming, or well liked for his personality.

"While there, B came across a home raid by what appeared to be Nuke Nin, he heard the cries of a family and rushed into the rescue. Now why would he go out of his way to help some unknown family?" He said.

"The Kyubi's chakra." Said the Mouth. "The Hachibi inside of Kirabi must of sensed it."

'_So the mailman has a brain. This day just keeps getting better._' Thought Ei to himself. "Yes, Kirabi, or more precisely the Hachibi was able to sense the chakra of the Kyubi no Yoko. According to the Hachibi, it was faint, so the beast must be sealed tight within the Jinchuriki. Anyways back to the story, Kirabi neutralized the raiders and saved the family, but lost the father." He closed his eyes. "The mother was injured severely and is now in the hospital as well as the children." He reopened them, eyes hard. "The Kyubi Jinchuriki is one of these children."

"Wow…" Breathed the mayor, mouth agape. "Those poor children…"

"While the loss of the father to those children is saddening we cannot grieve for now, because now the opportunity of a lifetime has literally, been handed to us on a silver plate," said Ei. "The Kyubi Jinchuriki, while in a traumatic state of mind, can become an invaluable asset to Kumogakure."

"But of course," said the Chief of Arms, grinning. "With this child, we now have three Jinchuriki. We have the most of any village, making Kumo…the undisputed power in the Elemental Nations."

There were nods of agreement all around.

"But still," said one of the jounin who has remained quiet. It was Darui, the right hand of the Raikage, whom Ei knew well. "The jinchuriki just lost his dad, his mom is severely injured and in the hospital fighting for her life. And let's not even go to his state of mind." He turned towards the dark skinned giant of a man. "We should handle this carefully and with tact."

Ei nodded. "Indeed. While drafting him sounds nice and all, he carries within him the strongest of the nine. With his volatile state of mind, I would best not have him release the beast in the middle of our village. Which is why I have a solution." He managed to grab the attention of all the Assembly members.

"I plan to make the jinchuriki and his family civilians of Kumogakure, in exchange for him and his sister to become students at the Shinobi Academy. Plus," He took a sip from his coffee. "His mother is currently in a state where whether she lives or dies is up to me. Plus, the price tag, recovery, surgery and medic nin healing her are…quite pricey for a foreigner."

The Assemblymen began murmuring among themselves. "Quite ingenious Raikage-sama," Said the Head Judge as he stroked his beard. "You would propose to them of the costs of the medical procedure, and they would become shinobi loyal to the village in order to avoid paying the cost…"

"I trust there is nothing illegal in this act that would go against our Constitution?" Asked Ei, staring to the Head Judge.

"Well…it would be illegal if you held the mother's life as an asset to the bargaining table to the Kyubi jinchuriki, but as you're presenting them the chance for citizenship…it's all legal."

Ei grinned a little. "Then…I hope we are in agreement then? We shall propose citizenship to the Kyubi Jinchuruki, Kazama Naruto, for all of his family members, in exchange for him and his sister to enlist in the Shinobi Academy."

No disagreement. The mayor, the elected man of the people, looked a bit perturbed about the idea of forcing thousands in debt on the backs of children…but it was all legal.

Besides, it's not like they will just let the jinchuriki walk. They are just playing 'good guys' at the moment to bring in what could be the strongest of the nine bijuu legally.

"Then we are adjourned."

The shuffling of chairs and murmurs filled the war room within the Raikage Tower and the few high ranking officials and elder jounin took their leave.

Leaving Kiraei, Yugito, Darui and Kirabi to themselves.

"So bro, that's yo master scheme?" Asked B. "To convince them to forsake the childhood dream?"

Kiraei rolled his eyes and stood up, the Hachibi Jinchuriki following along with a few other jounin, one which the Raikage knows very well.

"First of all, they have no childhood dream. And secondly, it's the best option."

The Jounin to his right, had other thoughts circling in his head. It is the best option because it is the most _legal_ and _humanitarian_ option. The Kyubi Jinchuriki was found in Snow Country, but is was perfectly that Konohagakure sought to hide the human sacrifice. Why though? Why would self disputed "strongest village" place what could be the strongest Jinchuriki so far from their borders? Why did Nii Yugito, who was walking behind Kiraei, looking so disturbed? Why-

"Darui." The jounin's train of thought stopped and turned towards Ei.

"I'm sorry Raikage-sama." Said Darui, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish smile. He was young, in his early twenties with dark skin, indigenous to the northeast region of the Elemental Nations and had shaggy white hair. His complextion was easy going and relaxed. "I was just thinking is all. If you hadn't stopped my dull train of thought, I probably would have asked why the sky is blue." He chuckled.

Yugito rolled her eyes, the blonde fair-skinned woman looking annoyed. "You really need to get your head out of the clouds sometimes."

"Isn't a man privy to his thoughts within his own village, so long as they aren't harmful?" Joked Darui. "And sorry."

"It's fine." Ei waved his hand. "You're one of my best shinobi, I don't care what your mind thinks." He turned towards the jounin. "I need you…to get in contact with him."

The dark skinned jounin, who looked relaxed as can be, didn't looked that way and took the matter as business.

"Why him?" He asked, his tone serious.

"Him? Wait, do you inquire…" B thought out loud. Then he snapped his fingers. "Oh hell naw! You bringing that old dude who retired!"

"B shut up. You added a 'd' at the end." Said Ei. "And yes, I have plans in mind for him along with Kazama Naruto."

"Want me to go to him now?" Asked Darui.

"Do so. Tell him he maybe getting a future pupil…"

"Raikage-sama," Yugito spoke up as they walked down the stairway, various paintings adoring the walls. "So if you plan on him having a different style than us? Why didn't you bring it up at the meeting?"

"Because it wasn't important. If Kazama is going to be a shinobi that's fine by them, they don't care what type of shinobi Kazama will be."

The group stepped outside, the sky beginning to clear and rays of sun pouring in.

"I'm going to the hospital to handle this. Yugito, keep B on a leash. Darui, get going."

"Sir." Darui shunshin'ed out. And the large Raikage lept to the rooftops, leaving B and Yugito alone.

"So…" B grinned. "I know this sweat Enka bar down-Yowch!"

Yugito tugged on his ear, eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about it bucko." She looked away, eyes to the ground narrowed. The dark skinned jinchuriki rubbed his ear and looked at the blonde with a quirked eyebrow behind his shades.

"Wassup? You look like you drank a dirty cup."

"She…" Paused Yugito, putting a hand on her stomach. "Has been restless. It's been that way since yesterday."

"Eight-o was the same when we found Niner." B put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be cool, it's just minor."

"Minor?" Yugito looked up at the man. "How minor is it that our village now has three Jinchuriki? Once Kazama becomes a trained shinobi, villages will take notice and…" She sighed.

"You scared shit may hit the fan, so you're worried of adding Niner to our clan?"

"In a way…I'm just worried is all. I can guess you can say for both me and Kazama."

"Tell you what." Smiled B. "Instead of an Enka Bar, I know this nice Wind restaurant that has food so good, you're eyes will beam like a star."

Yugito shook her head, but smiled. "If we're going you're buying. And don't expect me to cough up everything."

"Never expected that in the slightest girl, just want to take a good friend out on whirl." And soon enough, the two began walking together out of the Raikage compound.

"Also…Bro said you'd keep me on a leash so-" B flinched as he felt a hand go into his pack suddenly, and Yugito pulled it out quick. "Yo!"

And he shirked, as she held out a book and read a loud the title.

"_Icha Icha Bedroom Dungeon: Pet Edition?"_ She glared towards the taller man.

"Just…wanted to-" Before B could explain the book went up in blue flames. "Oh nooo!"

And blonde woman dropped the burning book to the ground, B looking down at it.

"Ei's gonna know about this." B simply looked to the side.

"Phoey."

-X-

"Where's mommy?"

"Eh?"

"Where's mommy?" Asked Naruto towards the nurse. "We have not seen her since yesterday…where is she?"

"W-Well…" the nurse looked awkward, face looking as if she was trying to explain why her hand was in a cookie jar. Karui kept observing this as she looked through a picture book.

"Where's mommy?" he asked again.

"M-Mommy is okay…we're doing our best to care of her and all and-"

"I wanna see mommy…" said Naruto, voice slightly raised.

"I would if I could Naruto-chan but-"

Before Naruto could say anything, Karui's head turned towards the door, seeing it open.

And there was massive giant of a man, in dark skin and had a golden belt of some kind. Him opening the door so suddenly made everyone in the room jump. In his right hand looked to be a brief case of some kind. He turned towards the nurse.

"I take it these are the two Kazama children?" He asked.

"U-ummm…yes it is Raikage-sama…" The nurse bowed. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Helping them." He walked forward. "You're assistance is appreciated nurse. You are free to go."

"But Raikage-sama-"

"That's an order," he growled, and the nurse slinked out of his way as fast as he could. The giant man sighed and sat down on the couch, and looked at the two kids in front of him, staring at him.

Naruto picked his ear a little. "Who are you?"

"My name," said the Raikage in a stern tone. Then he stopped, as if thinking. Then his face softened up and he smiled a little. "Well. What is your names?"

"Our names?" Asked Karui, speaking up as she sat down next to her brother on the opposing couch as he fiddled with a toy.

"Mm-hmmm." Smiled the Raikage, closing eyes and speaking in a tone similar to Uncle Jiraiya. "You see, I want to help you and your mother. And to do that," He took out his briefcase and brought out a clipboard and some paper with lots and lots of letters. "I am going to need your names…"

"Why?" Asked Naruto in curiosity.

"You see kids, I am the leader of this entire village." He said. "Like, I am in it's king in a way. And it's my duty to help the people and those less fortunate. You mother, well, is someone that is being taken care of right now." He closed his eyes and smiled. "And I have good news. Your mother will be better by the end of the week."

For the first time in over two days, Naruto jerked and looked up, mouth agape and eyes wide. "Really?! Mommy will be better and she won't have that ugly sore on her arm anymore?"

"Well…" The Raikage rubbed the back of his head. "She has lost her arm, but she will recover and be good as new next week. However…" He said as he rummaged around for some papers. "I do not have anything on record…" He found some paper and started looking through it. "That says that you are registered with the village. Technically, you are a foreigner."

"I-Is that bad?" Asked Karui, sounding worried. She has heard the term before, but it was only used in a bad way, usually said when dad spoke of people from the south.

"It can be." He said. "You see, if you aren't a civilian, the cost of healing your mother will be exponentially higher." He found a small leaflet and gave it to the redhead. "As you can see, the total cost is quite high."

Karui looked on the paper, which looked like one of those receipts and looked at the grand total near the bottom and gulped.

Her frog-bank only had just under a hundred ryo…

This had a lot more zeroes at the end.

"That's a lot of zeroes…" Said Naruto leaning in to look. Karui looked up at the giant Raikage.

"W-We…" She looked down. "We don't have that kind of money…"

"S-So mommy won't get better?" Asked Naruto, face looking pale.

"No, your mom will be alright. The bill, is to be paid after she is better. Remember, I am here to help you." Said the Raikage. "And I need your help to help with this matter. I can help make all those zeroes…disappear."

"Disappear?" Naruto and Karui said in tandem. The Raikage nodded.

"Yes. You see, citizens of Kumogakure no Sato are eligible for reduced healthcare: basically, doctor work as doctors need to be paid to feed their families and what not. You'd still need to pay, but it would be much less than what you have owed to the hospital right now."

"Is there any other way for us to get healthcare…ummm…" Karui fiddled with her fingers, then looked back up at the Raikage. "For free?"

The Raikage's smile threatened to split his face in two. "Yes there is! Doctor work free of charge! You wouldn't have to pay a single ryo!"

"W-What is it?" Asked Naruto. "I'll do whatever it is! I wanna help mommy!"

"Me too!" Added Karui.

The Raikage kept that smile on his face as he looked through his briefcase and brought forth two similar looking paper sheets, with more under it stapled.

"This is a contract. A contract into becoming a guardian of Kumogakure no Sato. A Shinobi."

"Shinobi?" Asked Naruto.

"They are the protectors of Kumogakure, and are responsible for her protection and well being." He gave another warm smile. "Just like how you two are helping your mother."

He took out two pens and gave them to the two children.

"In that pamphlet is also a form for you applying for leadership. All you need to do is sign at the circled lines…

"And you'll not only become citizens of Kumogakure no Sato, but become Shinobi-in-training."

"In-training?" Asked Naruto as he signed the first paper.

"think of it as 'Shinobi School'. It is where you go to learn how to be a Shinobi." He leaned back, and saw the children nod and went to signing. Every stroke of the pen, every turn of the page, was watched keenly by the Raikage.

When the children happened upon the last page, they looked at each other and nodded.

"Sis."

"Yeah?"

"Let's become the best Shinobi we can be. And get stronger…"

"Mm-hmmm." She nodded, both of them mentally making a promise.

'_I will not let anyone close to me die. Never again.'_

Their pens meet the line. It took all the Raikage's willpower not to grip the couch's arm in anticipation.

Stroke. Swish. Stroke. Some dots here. Stroke.

Both of the children signed the forms for citizenship and application to the Shinobi Academy.

"It's signed." They both said in tandem as the Raikage looked it over and inspected it. He placed the forms into his briefcase and stood up, towering over the two children and walked past the coffee table and got down to his knees and held out his hand, smiling.

"Kazama Naruto. Kazama Karui. It is with pleasure to welcome your family as citizens of Kumogakure no Sato. And it is my honor to greet you on the path to becoming Shinobi in service to Kumogakure."

The two children took his hands and shook them, his giant calloused scar ridden hand around their almost soft ones.

Deep down mentally, he smirked, his thoughts much darker than was portrayed on his smiling peaceful façade.

'_You were fools Konoha, and now I, no…Kumo will reap the benefits, and will rise as the ultimate superpower in the history of the Elemental Nations. You had your chance, and now fate as rewarded me._

_Nii Yugito, Jinchuriki of the Nibi no Nekomata._

_Kirabi, Jinchuriki of the Hachibi no Kyogyu._

_And now, Kazama Naruto, Jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Yoko'_

He stood up and walked over to the balcony, opening the door and stepping onto the overlook, Karui and Naruto following suit.

"Look Naruto-kun, Karui-kun." He jestured to the village. "This is your new home. Your future is now here." He looked down at them with a smile.

And Naruto beamed up at him. "Thank you mister…now we won't need to pay all that money…"

"When can we start being Shinobi?" Asked Karui. Suddenly, she saw something out of the corner of her eye and turned. "Oh look!" She ran to the railing, her brother following suite. Out there were some people hopping along the roof tops.

"That's cool!" Said Naruto.

"Wasn't Mister B doing that?" Asked Karui.

"Mm-hmmm." Said the Raikage as he put his hands on their shoulders and walked with them, overlooking the high jagged peaks, the building built into them, the bridges and the waterfalls and the happy people socializing below. "Those are Shinobi, far advanced and well taught. One day, you will both be like those ninja."

"I'm gonna be the best ninja then!" Smiled Naruto. "Well I be able to get some money being a ninja?"

"But of course!" Chuckled the Raikage. "The higher in the ninja ranks you go, the more money you get."

"Then I wanna be the highest ranking ninja in this village!" Beamed the blond boy. "And be able to help my family."

"Those are good goals. You seek to become the Raikage." He pointed at himself. "I am the Yondaime Raikage."

"Then Naruto will be the Godaime," Both males turned towards Karui, who was also smiling a little. "I'm gonna help him be the next Raikage." She walked over and hugged her brother.

"You will sis?"

"Well duh," said Karui. "That's what family's for right? We help each other. And we're gonna protect and be there for each other. And when mommy gets better, we'll help her too."

Naruto nodded happily and looked out to the village, his sister by his side and the Raikage standing behind them, arms crossed and looking proud. He looked out to the sun as it began to sink to west.

In the direction of the Land of Fire.

'_Checkmate.'_ He grinned behind the children. _'Konoha.'_

(X)

Infiltrating this village was easier than he thought.

After summoning a toad and having it trek through the sewer, all he needed to do was be regurgitated into an alley, and walk into the street like no one's the wiser.

All he needed was a hair cut, a fake moustache, and glasses, and he was walking past jounin on break like no problem.

If Jiraiya were any sort of ANBU, he could assassinate any high profile official in Kumo and walk out as if no one was there.

But he wasn't aiming to kill, but to retrieve.

He had to find them. Marina, Karui, Naruto.

'_Where are you?'_ He thought to himself as he looked around. As he walked into a boulevard he turned his head and saw a large white building which looked like a hospital.

And up on one of it's balconies made Jiraiya's heart leap out of his chest in joy, only for it to sink to his stomach in despair.

Naruto was fiddling with a Kumo Ninja headband, a stray jounin and the Raikage was under Naruto, as the man was indulging the children to a piggy back ride to get a better look of the village. He saw a tad of red hair under the railing, meaning it must be Karui.

As the crowds walked past, Jiraiya could only stare in the realization that he was too late.

Minato's son was now in the good graces of the leader of who tried to have Kushina, his own birth mother, kidnapped due to the beast within her and her special chakra.

Sunagakure is rumored to have a Jinchuriki, the Ichibi no Shukaku.

Kirigakure is rumored to possess the Sanbi no Kyodaigame and the Rokubi no Namekuji, but the Jinchuriki has been in hiding and haven't been heard of since the fall of the Bloody Mist era of the Yondaime Mizukage.

Iwagukre had two: the Yonbi no Saruou and the Gobi no Shiroushi. They were still hostile towards Konoha.

Even the smaller villages had the power of the Nine, with Taki having the Nanabi no Kabuto.

Now, Kumogakure, a nation who which Konoha may get back to hostile terms with, now possess the most Jinchuriki of any country, with three. Worse of all, two of them are the strongest of the Nine: the Hachibi no Kyogyu and the Kyubi no Yoko.

And Konoha, the self reputed strongest of all the Shinobi villages, the original founder of the Shinobi village system, had zero.

Naruto and Karui, and possibly Marina too if she is alive, are now in the clutches of Kumogakure, and they looked happy and relieved.

Jiraiya turned around, head to the ground, and walked away to find that alley way and climb into the sewers and summon a toad to head back to Konoha.

He bit his lip, enough for blood to come up as he hopped into the sewer.

"God..." He punched the wall, making a crater. "Damnit..."


End file.
